Judge allows group to testify on behalf of school bond

MOSES LAKE — A Grant County judge has accepted a petition from a group of Moses Lake voters to intervene in a suit asking the court to invalidate the results of the Feb. 14 bond election.

“We will be in court Monday at 3 p.m. before Judge Antosz making the legal arguments as to why the election results should be upheld by the Court,” wrote Ephrata attorney Jerry Moberg, who is representing the seven Moses Lake residents, on a Facebook post.

The seven voters filed suit earlier this week asking the court to allow them to testify on behalf of the “supermajority of voters” who approved the bond. The hearing on the suit to invalidate the bond election will be held at 3 p.m. Monday in the Grant County Courthouse.

The $135 million school construction bond, which required a 60 percent yes vote for approval, just barely passed with 60.03 percent — three votes. However, that came after a 10-day long count in which the bond was trailing by two to four votes for much of the count, prompting a group of Moses Lake voters to file suit, alleging the county auditor failed to follow the law when confirming ballot signatures.

The proceeds from the sale of the bond will be used to build a second high school, another elementary school, and to upgrade the current high school.

The Moses Lake School district has scheduled two public meetings to help “develop a vision in our community for what 21st century learning looks like” and what it will mean for Moses Lake to have two high schools on Tuesday, April 17, and Thursday, April 19, at the Columbia Basin Technical Center from 6 to 8 p.m. both nights.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com