MANSON COMMUNITY COUNCIL HEARS
by Richard Uhlhorn

Chelan County Commissioner Brad Hawkins said Chelan County is facing a $5 to $8 million dollar deficit in 2026. “Expenditures have outpaced our revenues,” Hawkins told a group of attendees at Tuesday’s, November 18 Manson Community Council meeting.

Hawkins was the invited speaker along with Chelan County Natural Resources Director Mike Kaputa who presented an agricultural outlook for the county.

The budgeted revenue for 2025 was $55,878,139 and expenditures were $60,000,040 which ends up with the County facing a 7.38% deficit for the year. “It’s my hope we can cut the deficit in half for 2026,” Hawkins said. Additional 2026 increases include labor, insurance premiums and tort claims.

Hawkins remarked that while agriculture is a foundational element of Chelan County’s economy tourism, hydropower and technology development are also huge economic driver.

He explained that the county has separate departments, some of which report directly to the commissioners and others, like the Sheriff’s Department, that don’t except for yearly budget preparation.

Hawkins launched into the on-going battle over the proposed Tax Increment Area (TIF) that includes an expansive area of Malaga. According to Hawkins, if it goes forward, it comes as a detriment to the junior taxing districts like the fire district. Hawkins says it is a misuse and abuse of the statute as intended.

“The Port district believes they are entitled to take that money,” said Hawkins. “They are not being collaborative. It is a money grab.” According to Hawkins, they are authorized under the law to establish this area and are hurrying up to do it before Microsoft begins paying property taxes. “Just because you can doesn’t make it right.”

Hawkins encouraged the community to reach out to the Port Commissioners to come up with a revised plan that doesn’t devastate the County’s financial situation.

Douglas County Commissioner Mark Straub stated in a separate conversation that Douglas County is in lockstep with the County’s opposition to the TIF. “The Port already did it to us once,” said Straub. “They are supposed to be a partner with both of us.”

Ag Lands Workshop
The future of agriculture in Chelan County and around the State is at risk. “We do a lot o management with growers and packing houses,” said Mike Kaputa. “We are seeing a lot of development pressure.”

The long term prospects for agriculture is dim with commercial agriculture lands being sold for housing development. Local growers, according to Gerry Ustanik, have only one option if their growing operations are not making any money. “The only thing Chelan County allows you to do is sell. It is very limiting unless the County allows more uses for the land,” said Ustanik. “There has to be something better than putting fancy housing on it.”

According to Kaputa there are a number of accessory uses in play now. There are 11,304 tasting rooms, 13,000 wedding venues and 20,000 festivals currently on-going in the State. “It’s difficult to determine how economically viable these uses are,” said Kaputa.

Pressures on agriculture lands are rising labor costs and land values.. Kathy Miller, a long-time orchardist in the Manson Project remarked that she is stuck with 10 acres of apples that is too expensive to develop forcing her to continue to farm. “We are getting billed from the packing houses,” she said. “We can’t afford to farm, but can’t sell.”

Many farmers are carving off five to 10 acre lots for residential use to help defray the cost of continued farming.

Manson Business:
SEPA comments are due in December for a proposal to construct a breakwater at Manson Bay Marina. 

Chairman Mike Kirk encouraged attendees to comment on the Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council’s request for comments on the proposed Manson to Chelan Trail.

Fire Chief Arnold Baker remarked that emergency response is at risk and that they’ve been reduced to 15mph around roundabouts and are playing chicken with on-coming traffic while responding to emergencies.

Kirk told the attendees that the proposed Manson to Chelan trail is not an official design. Baker replied that “It looks great but there are all those consequences.”

Jeff Conwell said that incorporation talks continue and that the council is using Ential as a model for what they are exploring.

There will be an election to the Manson Community Council If there is more than one applicant, but a this time there is only one interested according to Kirk. If no the individual steps up, the current applicant will be seated.