Elections in Soap Lake, Royal City completed

EPHRATA — The final results of the April 28 special election, which included two school levies for Soap Lake and a vote on merging Grant County Fire Districts No. 10 and 11 in Royal City, have been certified.

In the Royal City vote, the measure to merge Fire District 11 into Fire District 10 passed handily with 302 votes in favor, or 92 percent, and only 27 votes, or 8 percent, against.

The two fire districts already share most of their operations and equipment. The change will abolish one district board and allow the combined fire district to save on some administrative and insurance costs.

In Soap Lake, the district’s four-year replacement levy, which would allow the district to pay for activities not covered by state funding, such as athletics, music, food service and technology, passed with 361 votes in favor, or 51.5 percent, to 340 votes against, or 48.5 percent.

However, a special two-year construction levy, which would have raised roughly $1 million for security improvements, a new transportation garage, and upgrades to the combined middle and high school heating and cooling system, failed with 370 votes against, or 52 percent, and 344 votes, or 48 percent, in favor.

— Charles H. Featherstone