Special District Election Day: Wasco Co.

One position, four-year term

• Zone 4: John T. Nelson, incumbent, and David Polehn
• Zone 5: Kevin A. Kramer and Shannon Wilkinson (Note: Incumbent Joel Vaught did not file for reelection)
• Zone 7: Katie Kelley and Steve Lawrence (Note: incumbent Judy Richardson did not file for reelection)

Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue Board

One position, four-year term

• Position 2: Corey Case, incumbent, and Mike Erland
• Position 4: David Jacobs, incumbent, and Chris Schanno

Dufur School District Board

One position, four-year term

• Position 1: Anne Kelly, incumbent, and Tina Coleman
• Position 3: Stan Ashbrook, incumbent, and Sean Egeland
• Position 4: Joseph Harvey and Dave Beeson (Note: Incumbent Robert Wallace did not file for reelection.)

South Wasco County School District Board

One position, four-year term

• Zone 1: Paul Koerschgen, incumbent, and Nancy Salas Juarez
• Zone 4: Greg Wiedeman, incumbent, and Shelly Cocco
• Zone 6: Kevin Duling, incumbent, and Elizabeth Unti

Juniper Flat Rural Fire Protection District

One position, four-year term

• Position 4: Brian Silvey, incumbent, and Casey Ford

Uncontested races

North Wasco County School District Board

One position, four-year term

• Zone 1: Betsy Hege (Note: Incumbent Adrian Lopez did not file for reelection)

South Wasco County School District Board

One position, four-year term

• Zone 3: Justin Gothman

Juniper Flat Rural Fire Protection District

One position, four-year term

• Position 3: (Butch) Paul Savery
• Position 5: Jerry Duling

Columbia Gorge Community College

One position, four-year term

• Zone 1: Nathanael Stice
• Zone 2: Darcy Long
• Zone 5: Kim Morgan
• Zone 7: Lucille Begay

Mosier Fire District

One position, two-year unexpired term

• Position 1: Rob Miller
• One position, four-year term
• Position 2: Todd Reeves
• Position 3: Steven Fisher

 Tygh Valley Rural Fire Protection District

One position, two-year unexpired term

• Position 3: AJ Mead

One position, four-year term

• Position 1: No candidate filed
• Position 4: Jan Bazala

Wamic Rural Fire Protection District

One position, four-year term

• Position 3: Neil Senger
• Position 4: Greg Weast
• Position 5: Cindy Koch

Tooley Water District

One position, two year unexpired term

• Position 4: Bart Vervloet
• One position, four-year term
• Position 1: John Amery
• Position 2: Larry Russ

Tygh Valley Water District

One position, four-year term

• Position 4: Sam Cobb
• Position 5: AJ Mead

Wamic Water and Sanitation Authority

One position, four-year term

• Position 3: No candidate filed
• Position 4: Robert A. Goleman
• Position 5: Glenn Crawford

Port of The Dalles

One position, four-year term

• Position 1: Ed Devlaeminck
• Position 3: John D. Willer

Northern Wasco County Parks and Rec District

One position, four-year term

• Position 1: Rachel Carter
• Position 4: Marcus Swift
• Position 5: Annette Byers

Dufur Recreation District

One position, four-year term

• Position 2: Stan Ashbrook
• Position 4: Peggy Skiles
• Position 5: Shawn Skiles

South Wasco Parks and Rec District

One position, four-year term

• Position 2: Corrie Lemon
• Position 4: Stephanie Tyrer

White River Health District

One position, two-year unexpired term

• Position 2: Melissa Napoli
• Position 4: Ashley Woodside Biesenthal

One position, four-year term

• Position 1: Allison J. Bechtol
• Position 3: No candidate filed
• Position 5: David Farris

Dufur Recreation District measure

Summary: The Dufur Recreation District will use the tax revenue from this measure to continue to operate the district at its present level of service. The taxes needed for three years total $165,000, which will be imposed in equal amounts of $55,000 each year. The taxes will be used for operating purposes. Passage of this Local Option Tax would permit Dufur Recreation District to continue operating at its current level.

White River Health District measure

Summary: White River Health District’s operating funds for Deschutes Rim Health Clinic partly come from taxes assessed on South Wasco County property. The district’s permanent tax rate of $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed value is among the lowest for a health district in Oregon, insufficient to support quality patient care given low reimbursement from payors. The 2019-2024 five-year levy of $0.50 per $1,000 assess value expired on June 30, 2024. Renewing the levy in May 2025 will provide funding starting July 1, 2025. This is critical to sustain clinic operations. Without this, the clinic will be challenged financially and unable to maintain services. The levy will allow renewal of past services. Based on the current value to compute tax rate, the proposed levy of $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value will raise approximately $251,320 in 2025-2026; $258,860 in 2026-2027; $266,626 in 2027-2028; $274,625 in 2028-2029; and $291,116 in 2029-2030. These are estimates, calculated using 2023-2024 values, the last year the operational levy was in place. Actual amounts may vary due to property tax abatements in the district.

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Ballots will be mailed to local voters beginning April 30. All Wasco County election information can be found online at www.co.wasco.or.us; click the Services tab, then select Elections.

Election coverage will be updated online at columbiagorgenews.com through May 20.