by Richard Uhlhorn
Cooper appointed Parks Director:
Audrey Cooper was promoted to Parks and Recreation Director of Chelan’s park system at the Tuesday, February 10 city council meeting. Cooper was hired as an assistant parks director by past director Paul Horne to help with the department’s increasing work load and to take control of capital projects like the Lakeside Parks renovation.
Cooper took over the directorship as Interim Parks Director in November,2025 when Horne left the position.
City Administrator Laura McAloon recommended the appointment and Mayor McCardle appointed Cooper as the new director. City Council approved the appointment.
World Spay Day:
Every year, Chelan recognizes World Spay Day which falls on Tuesday, February 24 this year. This event was began in 1995 and has grown globally to 74 countries.
Pets provide companionship to an estimated 71% of U.S. households, but an estimated 600,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in United States animal shelters every year due to a lack of critical resources and public awareness.
In Chelan a group of concerned residents formed the Chelan Valley Feral Cat Project and have been able to trap, neuter and release 516 cats, and rehome 216 kittens in 2025 with the help of local veterinarians.
Veterinarians, national and local animal protection organizations, along with private citizens like those involved with the feral cat project in the Lake Chelan Valley have joined together once again to advocate the spaying or neutering of pets and feral community cats on this World Spay Day, 2026.
Mayor Erin McCardle proclaimed February 24, 2026 as ‘World Spay Day’ in the City of Chelan and called for residents of the city to observe this day by having their own pets spayed or neutered or by sponsoring the spaying or neutering of a pet in need.
Lift Station interlocal repayment agreement:
Lift Station No. 5 on the south shore east of Lakeside on Hwy.97A had significant upgrades made from 2020 to 2022. These upgrade expenditures are shared approximately 50% with the Lake Chelan Sewer District due to flow usage under a mutually agreed interlocal agreement from 2022 to 2061.
Total costs of the project exceeded $1.6 million of which the Lake Chelan Sewer District is responsible for $818,749.93.
A formal repayment arrangement was not presented to city council and the district made informal payments bringing their current balance down to $607,563.40. The district’s staff turnover and limited supporting documentation/information on the repayment plan contributed to a payment cessation after 2023.
The proposed 10-year repayment encumbers terms set forth under the verbal repayment agreement with prior leadership. By formalizing this agreement, the City will rightfully recoup the funds owed and earn stable investment interest on the principal balance.
Home occupation businesses
Chelan City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 24 beginning at 5:15 to take public testimony for a city initiated text amendment to modify its Home Occupation Title 17 Zoning provision. This text amendment is intended to simplify zoning and permit requirements of home occupation businesses.
The public is encouraged to participate in this public hearing in person or by submitting written comments to mlibbey@cityofchelan.us before the hearing.
A copy of proposed text amendments and applicable criteria are available for inspection at no cost by contacting Monica Libbey, mlibbey@cityofchelan.us, 509-682-8037, or at the Community Development Department at 135 E. Johnson Ave, Chelan, during regular office hours. A copy of the staff report will be available for inspection at no cost at least 10 days prior to the hearing.
The Planning staff is presented the proposed text amendments to the city’s home occupation zoning standards as recommended by the Planning Commission. This update is intended to streamline provisions by locating home occupation standards in a new general provision section, and by removing the permit requirement for home occupations that are permitted outright. The resulting home occupation zoning landscape is broken into 3 levels of intensity:
1. Permitted Home Occupations: minimal impact, mailing address / home office
businesses. No city review; permitted outright.
2. Administrative Conditional Use Permit: moderate activities, limited customers on appointment basis. Staff review, can include project specific conditions.
3. Expanded Home Occupations: requires public notice and Conditional Use Permit.
Hearing Examiner review at a public hearing.
Community Benefit Grant Presentations:
The council hosted the first of several Community Benefit Grant presentations at its Tuesday, February 10 council meeting. Each year non-profit organizations request city funding to help their ongoing programs. On Tuesday, the following organizations presented their requests:
Thrive Chelan Valley:
Thrive has been serving and empowering and advocating for all of youth in the Lake Chelan Valley since 1999. This program includes but is not limited to:
- Thrive Care
- Thrive Mentoring
- Thrive Teen Center
including Food to Schools (187 students per week); Care requests (446 students supported in 2025; and the Teen Center (150 students involved).
Thrive operates on a budget of $100,786.63. The City supported Thrive with $31,000 last year and Thrive is requesting $35,000 of the projected $256,200 expenditures in 2026.
Only 7 Seconds:
Only 7 Seconds is seeking to expand and sustain the Local Club 7 programing at Chelan High School, the Lake Chelan Boys and Girls Club along with seeking one more club to work with. They also want to expand their partnerships at CMS, CHS and the Boys and Girls Club.
They didn’t ask for a specific amount of funding from the City.
Special Olympics:
The Special Olympics are requesting $5,000 to help with their programs that include the following sports – bowling, basketball and bocce ball. The program relies on its athletes, volunteers and family support for its success. They started the program with three athletes and have now added seven more to total of 10.
More requests from Non-Profits will be made at the next Workshop and/or City Council meeting.
All Things Lake Chelan 