Yakima City Council Will Decide On Strip Club Proposal

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By Melissa Wagner

Story Published: Jul 7, 2010 at 5:52 PM PDT

YAKIMA - Plans to put a strip club in Yakima aren't going down without a fight. Even though he's got two strikes against him, Jamie Muffett will now face off with city council. KIMA spoke with Muffett's attorney Wednesday. He said the two will plead their case to the full council. And if that doesn't work, they'll take it to superior court. We wanted to know how far this can go and when you can expect a final answer.

When a permitting issue makes it all the way to city council, council members must change hats... becoming judge and jury. And the rules of conduct also change.

Council members must declare any relationship with the parties involved in the case. That relationship could be as simple as having a cup of coffee with Jamie Muffett's attorney.

Council members will also have to disclose any public statements they've made for or against the strip club. And that list could be extensive for council members like Dave Ettl who has his own morning radio talk show.

" If either of the two parties involved question whether a council member has been unduly influenced, they can make that claim and ask that they recuse themselves from the vote," said former Yakima Mayor, Mary Place.

But Place also knows speaking your mind or having a connection to someone involved doesn't necessarily mean they have to step down. State law mandates there has to be enough council members on hand to decide, and in Yakima that means at least four.

Place had to sit through several hearings like these while she was on council. She said it's important to remember it's a closed record hearing, "So the only evidence that can be brought up is that that has already been presented."

Meaning nothing new can be brought to the table. No new witnesses, no new facts, nothing.

Finally, there are only 3 decisions council can make when it comes to a strip club going in on south first street. They can accept the hearing examiner's decision, Reject it, or send it back for further review.

KIMA asked, " How likely is it that city council will come back and say the city examiner is wrong?"

Place answered, " With the amount of pressure there is not to do this, including Union Gap, I think I'd be surprised if they did that."

Council members are now charged with reviewing all the evidence in this case before making their decision. It could take several weeks, even longer for council to issue its decision.

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