Important community elections to be decided tomorrow

EPHRATA — A $30 million bond proposal for Columbia Basin Hospital, a $3.55 million bond request for the Othello Community Pool, levy lid lift proposals for Mattawa Community Medical Clinic and Adams County Fire District 5 are among the issues on the Tuesday general election ballot. Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 4, either through the mail or a drop box, and mailed ballots must have a Nov. 4 postmark or earlier to be counted. 

“We recommend that if (voters) are about a week away from the election, they take it to (post office workers) and ask to have it hand-stamped,” said Kaylyn Orozco, elections deputy for the Grant County Auditor’s Office. 

The bond and levy lid lift proposals are joined on the ballot by races for local school boards, city and town councils and other local elected offices like fire and hospital districts. Some are contested races, while other candidates are running unopposed. Ballots were mailed to voters in mid-October.  

Columbia Basin Hospital bond 

The $30 million construction bond proposal before Columbia Basin Hospital voters was rejected in the August primary election, with about 54.2% of voters saying no. Because it’s a revenue measure, the bond needed approval from 60% of the voters to pass 

Hospital Administrator Rosalinda Kibbey said in an earlier interview that CBH needs the construction bond to do the work hospital officials believe is necessary. 

“We afford smaller projects like $10 million, $5 million, or projects of that size,” Kibbey said. “We just did an emergency remodel for less than $5 million. But when it comes to adding a new building, that will need to be done with public help.” 

If the bond is approved, the money would be used to build a new facility for the CBH medical clinic, build a pharmacy with a drive-thru option, remodel the front entrance and lobby, buy additional equipment and remodel the administrative areas.  

If it’s approved, district property owners would pay an estimated $1.83 per $1,000 of assessed property value for all hospital-related taxes. The bond would be an estimated 91 cents of that cost.  

The owner of property valued at $250,000 would pay $457.50 per year in all hospital-related taxes.  

Othello pool bond  

Voters in Othello will consider a $3.55 million bond to pay for repairs and renovations, where needed, to the Othello Community Pool. The pool was closed in 2024 after city employees discovered serious damage to its structure. It stayed closed in 2025.  

If the bond is approved, Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said in an earlier interview that city officials hope to have the pool back in operation by summer 2026, but the schedule will depend on the amount of work that needs to be done. 

“The goal was always (opening in 2026), but we don’t know whether we can meet the goal,” Logan said.   

The pool opened in 2007; the work was done under a tight timeline, which contributed to subpar work, Logan said. City officials want to ensure the repairs are properly completed if the bond is approved.  

“The idea is, let’s not make the same mistake twice. Too much money is involved,” Logan said. 

If the bond is approved, property owners would pay an estimated 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of property assessed at $300,000 would pay $51 per year.  

Mattawa clinic levy lid lift 

Mattawa Community Medical Clinic is asking for a “levy lid lift,” which would change the amount of money collected through the district’s levy. The levy would be increased to 65 cents of assessed property value; the current rate is 32 cents.  

If the levy lid lift is approved, the owner of property valued at $300,000 would pay $195 per year. The owner of property valued at $500,000 would pay $325 per year.   

Commissioner Barb Davis said in an earlier interview that money would help the clinic make changes to its services, if necessary. 

“How can we better serve our patients? How do we keep our doors open in today’s changing world?” Davis said. 

Davis said the clinic is open Saturdays, and that’s an example of the challenges facing the hospital district. The Saturday clinic is losing money and most of the people who use it are not regular clinic patients, she said, but it’s the only medical facility open in Mattawa on Saturday and clinic administrators want to keep it open. The levy lid lift would help offset some of the cost of that and similar services, she said. Clinic commissioners also want to expand services, she said, and must find ways to pay for them.  

ACFD 5 levy lid lift 

The ACFD levy lid lift asks fire district voters to approve raising the assessment to 90 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That’s an increase of 27 cents. The owner of property worth $222,000 in assessed value would pay $199.80 if the proposal is approved. That same property owner pays $139.86 now.   

Fire District 5 Chief Tom Salsbury said in an earlier interview that the lid lift would replace money the district will lose when its contract with the city of Othello expires in May 2026.  Salsbury said the 2025 budget is about $1.43 million. The city’s 2025 contract is $793,000, according to an ACFD 5 press release. About $610,000 comes from district property owners, the release said. 

The contract’s end comes at a time when the district is getting busier, Salsbury said, and the volunteer pool is shrinking. 

“Having a full-time job and a family, with all (requirements) and the classes and stuff you need to take, people just don’t have time anymore,” Salsbury said.  

    A $3.55 million bond proposal to repair and upgrade the Othello Community Pool will be on the ballot in the general election.