In the interest of public safety, the Douglas County Treasurer has opted to maintain the April 30 deadline for property taxes and assessments. In our largely rural county, many of our small hospital and fire districts, as well as other valuable districts that provide services to the public are often supported by property taxes alone.
To respond to the economic impacts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Douglas County Treasurer is encouraging property owners who are financially able, to pay first half or full year property taxes early to fund essential services needed now and in the months to come. However, the Treasurer’s Office understands that some taxpayers will be unable to make the April 30 deadline for their payments.
The Treasurer will be offering two tax relief plans for homeowners and small business owners who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first option is a grace period extension. A taxpayer that enters into this plan will pay 50% of their first half tax and/or assessment(s) payment by April 30, with the remainder of the first half payment due on or before May 29 and will not be assessed interest or penalty. The second option is an 8-payment plan. The Treasurer office will assess the statutory monthly interest to the first half payment, but waive the state penalty. The balance will be divided into eight (8) payments, with the final payment due November 30. The second half tax due date of October 31 will remain unchanged.
In the event the pandemic persists into late 2020, the Treasurer will consider offering similar plans for the second-half 2020 taxes and assessments.
Applications for both plans are available on the Treasurer webpage at http://www.douglascountywa.net/elected-offices/treasurer or a paper or email copy can be obtained by contacting the Treasurer Office at (509) 745-8525.
You can also download the forms here:
On April 8, 2020 the Douglas County Board of Commissioners passed Resolution CE No. 20-26B & TLS 20-22B, Proclamation of Pre-existing Home Sales Agreements Proceed During the COVID-19 Stay Home Stay Healthy Governor Proclamation.
This proclamation allows pre-existing home sales that also have building permits in place to proceed to build completion as an essential activity under the Governor of the State of Washington’s guidance, subject to restrictions. Both the purchase and sale agreement and the building permit must have issue dates on or before March 27, 2020. The restrictions are as follows:
Full documents can be read here:
Douglas County Resolution CE No. 20-26B and TLS 20-22B
This is a very important resoulution that affects those renting space to out of town visitors, campers and anyone staying in an RV or other vehicle that are non-residents of Chelan County.
A fine of $500 per day can be applied to owners, operators and managers of B&Bs, vacations rentals and campgrounds that are shown to be in violation of the order.
Today, Gov. Inslee extended the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order to May 4. The governor says the fastest way to economic recovery is the recovery of our health. Stay home. Stay healthy. Save lives. The order continues to require everyone to stay at home unless they are pursuing an essential activity, like shopping for groceries, going to a doctor’s appointment or going to work at an essential business. This is unprecedented times and the sacrifice residents have made are clear. But we will get through this together. #WeGotThisWA
All grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, food supply chains, and other things necessary for continued operations will continue to remain open. https://coronavirus.wa.gov/whats-open-and-closed
Employment Security phone lines continue to be overwhelmed. Keep trying or try filing online. https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/retroactive-payments
The order means that the eviction moratorium continues. If you are having problems with a landlord, let the state know: https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/COVID19EvictionComplaintForm.aspx
Our team at our state Emergency Operations Center has processed thousands of inquiries looking to be an essential business. If you have more questions, let them know https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d4c155fa930f4b848f95774d610c9708
There are so many businesses and people staying home and we appreciate everyone’s help. But if you see a business willfully violating the order, report suspected violators at the link. Don’t call 911. https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/09349a1c56844b539fea1c2cabd16d56
Have questions? Visit http://coronavirus.wa.gov or call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
East Wenatchee, WA – Many people are curious about the positive COVID-19 cases confirmed so far in Chelan and Douglas Counties. Chelan-Douglas Health District was not releasing details on individual cases to protect patient confidentiality. Unfortunately, because we now have enough cases, we will release grouped information.
One caution. You may live in a town with no lab confirmed cases so far. That does not mean the virus is not there. Recent studies make it very clear that there are many mild or non-symptomatic cases, that is, people don’t know they have coronavirus, and that they can infect others. Most people who get this infection will recover and be fine, but the measures we take now will save the lives of vulnerable people. You must do the same things – stay home, wash hands, etc. – whether or not there happen to be known cases in your town. The infection is there, and there will be more. STAY HOME – STAY HEALTHY – STAY SAFE.
The following information represents confirmed cases in Chelan and Douglas Counties as of April 1, 2020:
Confirmed Cases by Age
Confirmed Cases by Sex at Birth
Confirmed Cases by City
Statement on Deaths:
There have been two (2) deaths among those who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19. Both were more than 80 years old and had coexisting medical conditions.
COVID-19 Resources:
Chelan-Douglas Health District
Chelan-Douglas Emergency Operation Center
The body of 18-year-old Hannia “Paulina” Mosqueda Rodriguez of Waterville was discovered near Horse Lake Road on March 17th (see our previous story).
Her family has set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for expenses incurred during this difficult time.
Please help by donating at: gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-paulina.
On March 30th at 4:13 PM crews from Chelan Fire & Rescue were dispatched to a reported illegal burn in the 400 block of Tennant Lane off Washington Creek.
Arriving crews found an unattended 10’ X 50’burn pile that had reignited due to windy conditions that was slowly spreading.
Crews were able to quickly control and extinguish the fire in an hour.
Chelan Fire & Rescue would like to remind everyone to please call Chelan Fire & Rescue at (509)682-4476 or check the Department of Ecology website for daily updated burning information.
Douglas County officially combined with the Chelan-Douglas Health District, Chelan County, City of Wenatchee, and City of East Wenatchee to form a Unified Emergency Operations Center in response to the COVID-19 Virus.
Unification of response efforts will result in increased efficiency and resource availability during this situation.
All official emergency response information regarding COVID-19 will be coming from this newly formed group.
More information and all future communication can be found at www.cdeoc.org.
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