Leo for Pasco

Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales

6 days ago

📣 Pasco City Council Workshop Takeaways March 23 2026

We had a long meeting and were close to rolling into Tuesday. That shows how much we are working through right now and the importance of getting it right.

Here is what you need to know:

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👮‍♂️ Honoring Chief Ken Roske
We started the night by recognizing the retirement of Chief Ken Roske.

Forty years of service to our community. That kind of dedication is rare. He has been a major part of building the Pasco Police Department into what it is today.

We are sad to see him go, but he has earned this retirement. Wishing him nothing but the best in this next chapter.

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🏛️ 2026 Washington State Legislative Session Update
We heard from our lobbyists at Gordon Thomas Honeywell.

The message was clear. Things are going to get harder for cities financially.

That said, we are not jumping into new taxes or policies without fully understanding them and having a conversation with the public first.

We also secured one million dollars for our Regional Police Academy. That is a big win for Pasco and a strong investment in public safety.

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📸 Automatic License Plate Reader Technology
We discussed the use of ALPR cameras.

These are strong tools for law enforcement, but accountability matters. Right now Pasco PD has solid policies and procedures in place. We will continue reviewing and improving those, especially with new state requirements coming forward.

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🏘️ Missing Middle Housing
We discussed housing options that fall between single family homes and large apartment complexes.

This includes duplexes, triplexes, cottage housing, and stacked units.

The next step is identifying which of these housing types make the most sense for Pasco.

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👷 Community Workforce Agreements
This was the biggest discussion of the night.

There is still a lot more information we need on both the benefits and the concerns. I will be visiting Seattle to see how they are implementing this in real time.

This item will likely come back for further discussion in 2027.

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🚧 Clark Street Improvements
This project is still in the design phase, but the focus is on safety.

That includes adding bike lanes and evaluating reducing the roadway from four lanes to two.

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🛣️ Transportation Improvement Program
We will be hosting community meetings soon.

This is your opportunity to suggest projects, remove projects, and share your priorities. Your input will help shape Pasco’s future transportation system.

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💧 Water Rights Code Update
This was a minor code amendment and mostly housekeeping.

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🌳 Parks and Grant Application
We discussed applying for state recreation funding.

I made it clear that if we are acquiring park land, I want to see a pump track included. If not, I will not be supporting it.

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📑 Resolutions and Project Closeouts
We approved several items to move projects forward and close them out, including work on Sylvester Street, citywide traffic signals, and accepting a traffic safety grant.

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🔒 Executive Session
We ended the night in executive session related to real estate. No action was taken.

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💬 Bottom line
It was a long but productive night. We are working through big decisions that will impact Pasco’s future, and we are taking the time to get it right.

It’s your city, expect more.

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