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Benton City Council confirms city clerk, approves Safe Built contract; tables planning consultant agreement
Summary
At its Sept. 2 meeting the Benton City Council confirmed Crystal Guzman as City Clerk 1, approved resolution 2025-42 to contract with Safe Built Washington LLC for fire and commercial review services, and tabled a consulting agreement with Steve Zetz for further review after a councilmember abstained due to a personal relationship.
The Benton City Council on Sept. 2 confirmed Crystal Guzman as a City Clerk 1, approved a contract with Safe Built Washington LLC for third-party fire and commercial plan review, and tabled a proposed consulting agreement with Steve Zetz.
Chair introduced Crystal Guzman as the clerk appointment and a councilmember moved to confirm. The motion carried. "Motion to confirm Crystal Guzman of city clerk 1," a councilmember said; the council voted and welcomed Guzman to the staff.
Zach, the city building and planning staffer, explained the city’s need for a third-party contractor to replace the previous review provider and said Safe Built Washington would handle fire marshal duties, advanced commercial fire reviews and backup inspections. A motion to approve resolution 2025-42 authorizing the mayor to sign a contract with Safe Built Washington LLC passed in council vote.
The council then discussed a proposed one-year consulting agreement with Steve Zetz to help the planning commission and provide planning expertise at $50 per hour. Several councilmembers said the draft agreement had not been included in the online packet and that members needed time to review; one member disclosed a personal relationship with Zetz and said they would abstain from any vote. During procedural discussion the mover amended to table the resolution until the next meeting to allow full packet review and to resolve conflict-of-interest concerns.
Next steps: The Safe Built contract was approved and the mayor is authorized to sign; staff will bring a complete contract packet to the next meeting for the Zetz consulting agreement so members can review terms, and the abstaining member’s conflict will be recorded in the minutes.
