Next Yakima city manager set to make $207,000 annually

(The Center Square) – Vicki Baker was announced as Yakima's next city manager during last week's Yakima City Council meeting.

Her first day on the job is scheduled for Aug. 8.

Baker’s employment agreement still needs to be executed by the city council, but the proposed agreement would pay Baker an annual base salary of $207,000.

Baker was previously the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments deputy director, a position she held since 2021. Before that, she served as a Yakima County commissioner from January 2020 through November 2020.

According to the county, Baker has owned and operated a Grocery Outlet store in Yakima since 1999.

“We are confident Vicki is the right person for the job – she knows the Yakima community [and] she has a broad range of professional experience that makes her a good fit as city manager,” Yakima Mayor Patricia Byers said in a news release .

At the beginning of the year, the city council terminated the contract of Bob Harrison without cause. The Center Square previously reported on Harrison receiving approximately $115,938 in severance pay through the first six months of 2024.

Dave Zabell has been serving as interim city manager since January 2024.

Baker is taking on a critical role in Yakima city government. The city operates under the council-manager form of municipal government – that is, the city council serves as the board of directors of the municipal corporation and is responsible for establishing city policy.

The city manager, in this form of government, is the only employee of the city council and serves as CEO of the municipal corporation. In this role, Baker will be responsible for day-to-day city operations and oversee all city departments, divisions and offices.