Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public comments spotlight shelter concerns and judge endorsement; city updates pool dome, wreath drive and council vacancy
Summary
Public commenters praised and criticized local animal-services operations, a resident endorsed Municipal Court Judge Craig Stilwell, and a permit-fee dispute was raised; staff updated the council on Memorial Pool progress, a wreaths fundraising goal and an open council vacancy.
Public comment at the City of Pasco meeting covered a range of local issues and staff provided several community updates.
Endorsement for municipal judge: Jamie Buckley, a recent hire in Pasco Municipal Court and the court's probation supervisor, spoke in favor of retaining Judge Craig Stilwell and described work begun on a pretrial services and intervention program that he said will reduce failures to appear and lower reoffending while keeping community safety in mind. Buckley said staff morale has improved under Stilwell and asked the council to retain him.
Allegations about animal control: Mary Mahoney made multiple allegations about local animal-control practices, asserting animals have been sent to WSU for research and raising concerns about euthanasia methods, missing donated funds and due-process protections. The mayor thanked her for the comment; no staff rebuttal or document production was provided during the meeting. Mahoney requested records under state public-records law (RCW 42.56).
Permit-fee dispute: Octavio Rodriguez described a construction application he submitted in June and alleged that a new traffic-impact fee was applied after his submission, dramatically increasing his invoice. City representatives said staff would review the matter and follow up with Rodriguez by email.
City updates and events: City Manager Harold Stewart said public feedback on fluoride will be presented at a future meeting and reminded the public that applications are open for a two-year council seat, with a review on Dec. 1 and interviews Dec. 8. Parks Director Jesse Rice said the Memorial Pool dome components are arriving and installation is imminent; staff anticipates a ribbon-cutting and media day. Rice also said the Wreaths Across America effort needs about 970 wreaths at $17 each for the Dec. 13 program and that a statewide cross-country meet this weekend could bring 10,000'15,000 visitors.
What comes next: Staff said they will follow up with the resident who raised the permit-fee issue and that records requests cited by commenters will be processed according to state rules; no council action was taken during the public-comment period.
