RiverCom 911, Pateros and Orondo schools receive majority voter support

Initial ballot counts from Tuesday's special election show approval for the RiverCom 911 sales tax with a 73% yes vote.

"We're really happy, and I really appreciate the support from our citizens," said RiverCom Director Doug Jones. "Ensuring that we have the best coverage, that we have the best people trained, that we have the best facility that we can really serve the citizens with and the first responders."

The revenues from the additional one-tenth of one-percent sales tax will bring in sufficient revenues to assist with 911 operations and state-of-the-art equipment.

Jones says architectural design is underway on a new RiverCom emergency dispatch center, an existing building in Old Station, but that about $2 million is still needed to ready the building for 911 services.

"This tax will help, but if we can prioritize that (sal es tax revenues) to operationa and try to get some state money to finish up the facility that would be ideal," said Jones, who is at the State Capitol today, meeting with local legislators in hopes of securing state capital project funds in support of the retrofit of the new facility.

Chelan County voters supported the 911 tax with 73.7% voting in favor. Douglas County voters were 69.8% in support.

RiverCom provides emergency dispatch services for all law enforcement, fire, and emergency service agencies across 4,741 square miles in Chelan and Douglas counties. The agency serves about 130,000 residents, a number that increases sharply during the summer. RiverCom responds to an average of 67,000 emergency calls annually.

The Pateros School District Education & Operations Levy was approved by 71% of voters.

Orondo School District Propositions won majority approval. The Educational and Operation Levy and the Capital Levy for Facility Improvements, both with 54% in favor.