Kennewick City Council adopts five municipal-code ordinances, approves consent agenda and a letter supporting veterans employment program

The Kennewick City Council on March 4 unanimously adopted five ordinances that move and update fire- and police-related provisions into the Kennewick Municipal Code, approved the consent agenda and voted to send a letter of support for OIC of Washington's U.S. Department of Labor grant application to aid homeless and at-risk veterans.

Council members were presented a single staff report covering fire-department amendments (items 5A and 5B) that transfer content from the city's administrative code into the municipal code and add provisions not previously codified. The proposed changes include formally making the fire chief an appointed position under Chapter 2.12 and consolidating local applications and numbering in Chapter 15.3 so references align with the state model fire code. Chief Ball presented the report and answered no council questions before votes were taken.

A single staff report also covered police-related amendments (items 5C through 5E). The police ordinances transfer administrative-code material to the municipal code, update existing language to reflect current law or practice, and add provisions covering the sale and possession of tobacco by minors (5C), seizure and forfeiture of controlled…