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Home My WebLink About01-20-2026 City Council MinutesCITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Zoom and City Hall, 271 9th St NE, East Wenatchee, WA City of East Wenatchee Council Meeting Minutes 01-20-2026 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Crawford called the East Wenatchee City Council meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilmember Stimmel led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmember Stimmel, Councilmember Arnold, Councilmember Castellente, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Harrison, Councilmember Magdoff (Zoom) and Councilmember Hepner (Zoom). 4. COUNCILMEMBER DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST Councilmember Arnold declared a conflict of interest regarding Agenda Item 9d. Resolution 2026-07, Appointing the East Wenatchee Events Board members for 2026, and declared he would abstain from discussion and voting. 5. CONSENT AGENDA a. Approval of 2026 COEW & Gallagher Assignment, Assumption and Amendment Agreement. b. Approval of Voucher Report, Checks: 64865-64891, in the amount of $570,546.49. c. December 2025 Payroll Certification. d. Approval of 01-06-2026 City Council Minutes. Motion by Councilmember Castellente to approve the agenda, agreement, vouchers, minutes and payroll certification as presented. Councilmember Johnson seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS None. 7. EXECUTIVE SESSION Executive Session to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). Motion by Councilmember Johnson to meet in executive session for a time period not to exceed 10 minutes (6:19.) to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency potential litigation to which the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). Councilmember Arnold seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. At 6:19 p.m. the City Clerk announced additional time was needed and the Executive Session was extended for an additional 5 minutes (until 6:24 p.m.) Council adjourned the executive session at 6:24 p.m. City of East Wenatchee Council Meeting Minutes 01-20-2026 No action was taken in executive session. 8. PUBLIC HEARING a. Mayor Crawford opened the public hearing at 6:27 p.m., for the purpose of receiving public comment to consider deferring frontage improvements to 12th Place NE, in association with Short Plat Application 2025-02. Public Works Manager Garren Melton provided the staff report. Mayor Crawford closed the public hearing at 6:31 p.m. Comments provided by Councilmember Harrison and Councilmember Arnold. Motion by Councilmember Stimmel to approve Resolution 2026-02 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute a Deferral Improvements Agreement associated with Short Plat Application 2025-02, as presented in Exhibit A Councilmember Magdoff seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 9. ACTION ITEMS a. Public Works Director Garren Melton presented Resolution 2026-03, Valley Mall Parkway Overlay Preservation Construction; City Project No. 2025-01. Comments by Councilmember Castellente and Councilmember Stimmel. Motion by Councilmember Johnson to approve Resolution 2026-03 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute Change Order 1 between the City of East Wenatchee and Selland Construction for the Valley Mall Parkway overlay in the amount of $152,050.81 as presented in Exhibit A. Councilmember Hepner seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. b. Public Works Director Garren Melton presented Resolution 2026-04, Contract award for the 5th Street NE Safety and Multimodal Improvements Project; City Project No. 2024-01. Comments by Councilmember Castellente. Motion by Councilmember Harrison to approve Resolution 2026-04 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute an agreement between the City of East Wenatchee and Selland Construction, contingent on WSDOT and TIB concurrence, for the 5th Street NE Safety and Multimodal Improvements Project as presented in Exhibit A. Councilmember Stimmel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. c. Public Works Director Garren Melton presented Resolution 2026-05, 5th Street NE Improvements Box Culvert Replacement Agreement; City Project No. 2024-01. Motion Councilmember Johnson to approve Resolution 2026-05 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute an agreement between the City of East Wenatchee and the Wenatchee Reclamation District for replacement of a box culvert associated with the 5th St NE Improvements Project as presented in Exhibit A. Councilmember Magdoff seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. City of East Wenatchee Council Meeting Minutes 01-20-2026 d. Events Director/PIO Trina Elmes presented Resolution 2026-07, Appointing the East Wenatchee Events Board members for 2026. Comments by Councilmember Magdoff and Councilmember Johnson. Motion by Councilmember Johnson to approve Resolution 2026-07 appointing the East Wenatchee Events Board Members for the year 2026 as presented. Councilmember Stimmel seconded the motion. 6 in favor, and 1 abstention. Motion passed. e. Events Director/PIO Trina Elmes presented East Wenatchee Event Board Funding recommendation for Lodging Tax funds for the Eastmont Metro Park District’s Eastmont Winter Classic AAU Basketball Tournament, February 20-22, 2026. Comments by Councilmember Stimmel, Councilmember Magdoff, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Harrison and Councilmember Arnold. Motion by Councilmember Harrison to table the East Wenatchee Event Board Funding recommendation for Lodging Tax funds for the Eastmont Metro Park District’s Eastmont Winter Classic AAU Basketball Tournament. Councilmember Johnson seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. f. Mayor Crawford presented Resolution 2026-08, Public Defenders Contract with the Law Office of Andrew Melton and Kottkamp, Yedinak & Esworthy PLLC for Public Defender Services. Comments by Councilmember Arnold, Councilmember Castellente, and Councilmember Harrison. Motion by Councilmember Castellente to approve Resolution 2026-08 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute an agreement with Law Office of Andrew Melton and Kottkamp, Yedinak & Esworthy PLLC for Public Defender Services as presented in Exhibit A. Councilmember Stimmel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. g. Mayor Crawford presented Resolution 2026-09, Public Defenders Contract with the Lytle Law PLLC for Public Defender Services. Motion by Councilmember Harrison to approve Resolution 2026-09 authorizing Mayor Crawford to execute an agreement with Lytle Law PLLC for Public Defender Services as presented in Exhibit A. Councilmember Arnold seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 10. MAYOR’S REPORT a. Mayor Crawford reported she would be attending City Action Days in Olympia to meet with state legislators and highlighted Legislative matters being monitored. Mayor Crawford advised she planned to inquire about returned capital funding that could be applied toward the City’s failing HVAC system, noting the system failures have resulted in library closures and those anecdotes support the urgency of the request. City of East Wenatchee Council Meeting Minutes 01-20-2026 b. Mayor Crawford reminded Councilmember of the scheduled Council Workshop on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. c. Mayor Crawford, as City Representative for RiverCom911, provided an update on the organization which included the approval of placing a 0.1% sales tax measure on the ballot to fund RiverCom services. d. Mayor Crawford reported the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society received a grant requiring an expense of $2,500 City match to support a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program serving the City of East Wenatchee. e. Mayor Crawford provided information on the Guns and Hoses event scheduled for January 24, 2026, and invited Councilmember to attend in support of the City’s Police Department and regional firefighters. f. Mayor Crawford, as City Representative for the Public Facilities District (Town Toyota Center), provided an update on the organization that included data on planned ticketed events for the year, and ongoing challenges related to elevator maintenance. 11. COUNCIL REPORTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS a. Councilmember Castellente, as City Representative for Link Transit, provided an update on the organization that included his visit/tour of the new bus barn, and the announcement of the retirement of the current CEO. b. Councilmember Johnson, as City Representative for Solid Waste Council, provided an update on the organization that included her attending a tour of the Douglas County Hazardous Household Facilities at Batterman Road, due to be opened in the Spring of 2026. 12. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 07:37 p.m. Jerrilea Crawford, Mayor Attest: Anna Laura Leon, City Clerk Jerrilea Crawford (Feb 4, 2026 09:52:31 PST) Jerrilea Crawford 5e. 01-20-2026 City Council Minutes Final Audit Report 2026-02-04 Created:2026-02-04 By:City Clerk (cityclerk@eastwenatcheewa.gov) Status:Signed Transaction ID:CBJCHBCAABAAql3cMGdx0il3pU0miKUVflHYrv-r4Mh1 "5e. 01-20-2026 City Council Minutes" History Document created by City Clerk (cityclerk@eastwenatcheewa.gov) 2026-02-04 - 2:57:39 AM GMT Document emailed to Jerrilea Crawford (jcrawford@eastwenatcheewa.gov) for signature 2026-02-04 - 2:57:43 AM GMT Email viewed by Jerrilea Crawford (jcrawford@eastwenatcheewa.gov) 2026-02-04 - 5:52:20 PM GMT Document e-signed by Jerrilea Crawford (jcrawford@eastwenatcheewa.gov) Signature Date: 2026-02-04 - 5:52:31 PM GMT - Time Source: server Agreement completed. 2026-02-04 - 5:52:31 PM GMT