Expansion Of RiverCom Board Rejected After East Wenatchee Vote

The board which oversees operations of the Rivercom 9-1-1 dispatch center for Chelan and Douglas counties will not be changing.  

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Commissioners in both counties favored expanding the administrative board from five to seven members, with voting powers extended to police agencies, fire departments and EMS workers. 

East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford says the change is not necessary because the groups already have a strong voice through a single non-voting member.  

"While they don't vote, they are full participants in Rivercom meetings," said Crawford. "They always attend. They're free to speak. They share input on a regular basis. They even participate in executive sessions." 

The plan to expand the Rivercom board will not move forward after being rejected by both of the city councils in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. 

County commissioners in both Chelan and Douglas counties had approved expansion of the board, but implementation would require approval of a majority of the four jurisdictions that lend financial support to Rivercom. The four jurisdictions are the two counties and the two cities. 

Rejection by the two cities blocked the expansion proposal. 

Crawford said voting power should rest with the parties that help finance Rivercom operations. 

"The responsibility of the financial aspect of Rivercom doesn't fall on fire and EMS services," Crawford said. "It falls on the two cities and the two counties." 

The East Wenatchee City Council voted against expansion of the Rivercom board this week after the Wenatchee City Council had previously done so. 

The proposed expanded board is below:  

1. Chelan County Commissioner
2. Douglas County Commissioner
3. City of Wenatchee elected official
4. City of East Wenatchee elected official
5. Law Enforcement user agencies representative (selected annually)
6. Fire user agencies representative (selected annually)
7. EMS (Chelan-Douglas EMS Council representative)

The board's current structure is below: 

1. Chelan County Commissioner
2. Douglas County Commissioner
3. City of Wenatchee elected official
4. City of East Wenatchee elected official
5. Ex-officio (non-voting) member (rotating annually from fire, police, and EMS)

Ex-Officio Members are below: 

1. The Sheriff of Chelan County.
2. The Sheriff of Douglas County.
3. The Police Chief of the City of Wenatchee.
4. The Police Chief of the City of East Wenatchee.
5. A Mayor representing the regional smaller cities.
6. A representative from the NCW Fire Chiefs and Commissioners Association.
7. A representative from the Chelan-Douglas EMD Council.
8. A representative from the EMS User Transport Agencies.

RiverCom was formed through an interlocal agreement in 2004 between Chelan County, Douglas County, the City of Wenatchee, and the City of East Wenatchee.