SAVE hopes to extinguish freeholder fire

EPHRATA — A group of citizens opposing Grant County's Proposition No. 1 formed a political action committee, calling themselves "Securing A Voice in Elections."

Proposition No. 1, which is on the November ballot, allows the county's general election voters to decide whether the home rule charter process should go forward.

Voters are also electing 21 freeholders — who would examine the county's system of government and may recommend changes — if voters approve the home rule charter process.

A group dubbed Voters for Council-Manager Form of Grant County Government gathered the minimum number of signatures earlier this year to ensure the freeholder election was placed on the ballot.

SAVE, led by former county commissioner Glenn Chamberlain of Ephrata, formed the political action committee to fight changes to Grant County's current form of government.

The home rule charter process opens the door to conflict, corruption and expensive court cases, taking money away from important county services, Chamberlain said.

They've already begun collecting money they'll use to get their message out.

"We have a couple of weeks to put some signs out, and do something," Chamberlain said. The committee is scheduling meetings with groups of people, he said, seeking to inform the voting public why the home rule charter process is wrong for Grant County.

Home rule charter proponents are pushing to eliminate many of the county's

elected offices, including sheriff, auditor, assessor and treasurer, Chamberlain said. SAVE believes if voters lose the right to choose these officials, they lose control of government.

"We strongly believe that this is a political ploy on behalf of Moses Lake to control county government," Chamberlain said.

Committee member Harold Hochstatter, of Moses Lake, a former state senator, joined to inform voters about the issues.

"I think they're poorly framed at this point," Hochstatter said.

The committee has the support of Grant County's Republican and Democratic parties.

Information about the group is available at saveallvotes.org.