Court Voids $15M Bond for Lake Wenatchee Fire District
A Chelan County Superior Court judge has overturned Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue’s (LWFR) $15 million bond measure that voters narrowly approved in the Aug. 5 special election.
Background: The Aug. 5 Bond Measure and What It Covered
READ MORE: Chelan County Fire District #6 Faces $11 Million Deficit
According to the Leavenworth Echo, the decision came after a group of Plain residents contested the results of the election, alleging LWFR violated state election procedures and the Open Public Meetings Act in the months leading up to the vote. The lawsuit argued those violations prevented an opposition statement from appearing in the voters' pamphlet, which may have influenced the outcome.
Allegations of Open Meetings Act Violations
During the Nov. 3 hearing, the court ruled in favor of the lawsuit and overturned the election result. The court also awarded attorney fees to the petitioners.
Court’s Decision and Legal Reasoning
The court found the district violated the Open Public Meetings Act by failing to post meeting agendas and minutes promptly, specifically for its April 17 and April 23 special meetings, when fire district leaders took action to sign and submit the ballot measure.
Impact: What the Invalidated Bond Means for the Community
The $15 million bond would have funded upgrades to existing stations and constructed new facilities, such as a new station and emergency operations center in Plain. The measure passed with 60.5% of the vote, surpassing the 60% threshold needed by just four votes.
The court stated these violations impacted the outcome of the election, and ordered that Chelan County Resolutions 2025-2 and 2025-3 should be considered invalid.
The ABC's of Fire Safety
Gallery Credit: Cindy Campbell