YAKIMA, Wash. — At its regular meeting on Dec. 9, the Yakima City Council voted five to two in favor of postponing discussion and action on a new operating agreement with the Yakima Valley Trolleys until its Jan. 20, 2026 meeting. The nonprofit group operates trolleys on what remains of the Yakima Valley Transportation Co. and maintains a museum in the trolley barn and adjacent facilities. The city owes the trolley vehicles and infrastructure. The current operating agreement expires at the end of 2025.

For now, the action means the YVT will not be able to conduct any operations, open the museum, or have access to the facilities from Jan. 1 through 20, 2026, and possibly beyond, depending on the council’s decision.

The current agreement permits the YVT group to run and maintain the equipment within certain financial parameters. The trolleys operate between Memorial Day and September, plus for special events like Halloween and Christmas. The YVT is also permitted to maintain a museum and provide educational programming.

As part of the operating agreement, the city pays for gas and electricity, water and sewer use, trash removal, and phone, internet and security alarm services. The funds are designated as part of the annual city budget.

Bill Preston, Yakima’s community development director, presented the new operating agreement to the council. The agreement had been worked out with YVT over the past several months and came with a staff recommendation for adoption.

Yakima is dealing with a $9 million budget shortfall in 2025. The City Council cut $3 million from the police, fire and parks departments with the hopes that voters would approve a $6 million tax levy to make up the difference. Voters rejected the levy in November, leaving the city to find other solutions to close the gap. A small portion may come from discounting trolley operations.

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