Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
2025 Legislative agenda addressed
PULLMAN — The Pullman City Council convened on Tuesday, Sept. 12, to review and discuss Hometown Hero’s Banner Program updates and revisions to the 2025 legislative agenda.
The council examined proposed Hometown Hero’s Banner Program changes, which honor local veterans and military service members.
The revisions include updates to application procedures and modifications to program restrictions. The city of Pullman will receive payments for the program, which will be deposited into a dedicated account managed by the Parks and Recreation Department.
The council plans to revisit the updated policy for formal adoption at a future meeting.
In addition, the council focused on refining its 2025 legislative agenda.
Following feedback from legislators who prefer a more straightforward format, the agenda was reformatted to include more white space and a less dense presentation. The revised agenda now features a one-page summary of priorities and a second page detailing the council’s talking points.
The discussion also touched on addressing police recruitment and retention.
Chief Opgenorth’s recommendation was reviewed, and the council agreed to include this issue in the talking points, highlighting the need for tools to support law enforcement.
Council Member Parks proposed shifting the focus from “tuition for higher education” to “affordable higher education.” The revised wording aims to encompass support for accessibility, affordability; and basic needs resources such as food, housing and child care, reflecting a more comprehensive approach to student support.
Council Member Weller suggested adding a category for business/nonprofit economic development to address challenges nonprofits face, particularly those involved in animal welfare.
This addition is intended to support organizations struggling with current legislative constraints.
Further, the council agreed to support grassroots efforts, including creating regional substance abuse disorder recovery centers. The updated talking points will reflect this broader support.
One of the city council members also advocated including renters’ concerns in the legislative agenda. The proposed language addresses the challenges of high rent and supports rent assistance programs and stabilization efforts.
The council is expected to finalize these updates and adopt the revised agenda in upcoming meetings.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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