Pullman Rejects Hospital

Pullman Memorial Hospital officials wanted a second opinion from voters on whether the city needs a new hospital.

On Tuesday night, citizens said no, again.

Not counting absentee and questionable ballots, 1,808 Pullman residents voted yes and 1,540 voted no. The 54 percent approval was just 6 percent shy of the required 60 percent needed for approval.

Last November, the $11.85 million bond issue failed to get the required 60 percent majority by just 29 votes.

The decision by hospital officials to run another election reopened community divisions over the measure, which would help build a $16 million hospital as part of a “comprehensive medical community” being developed on Bishop Boulevard.

The current hospital operates on the Washington State University campus. Though in need of remodeling, the hospital passes all of its inspections.

In other elections, all three school levies and most municipal measures passed in Whitman County.

Voters in the St. John School District, in conjunction with Spokane County No. 401, passed a $270,000 special replacement tax levy with 77 percent approval.

The town of St. John passed a $20,000 levy for street improvements with a 86.9 percent approval, as well as a $30,000 special tax for sewer upgrades and capital improvements with an overwhelming 90.1 percent approval.

With 64 percent voting for the levy, the Rosalia School District No. 320, jointly with Spokane County No. 410, passed a $355,000 special tax levy for maintenance and operations.

The town of Rosalia narrowly approved a $35,000 levy for street repairs with 62 percent approval but failed a $2,500 tax levy for the airport fuel facility fund (only 37 percent voted to approve). The Rosalia Parks and Recreation District No. 5 narrowly approved a $40,000 levy for operating funds, capital outlay and reserve funds.

The Endicott School District, jointly with Adams County No. 308, passed a $205,000 maintenance and operations levy with 79 percent approval.

Endicott approved a $7,000 street work levy by 94 percent, a $3,500 tax for maintaining the library by 85 percent and a $7,000 sewer upgrade levy by 95 percent.

Lincoln County residents in Odessa and Almira overwhelmingly passed two school levies and a hospital district levy Tuesday.

The Odessa School District passed a one-year, $415,000 operating levy with 343 people voting yes and 156 voting no.

Hospital District No. 1, based in Odessa, also won approval of a one-year levy with 389 yes votes and 147 no votes. It will collect $365,000.

The Almira School District’s $155,000 levy passed handily with 122 people voting yes and 36 voting against.

In Pend Oreille County, the proposed Newport School District levy appeared to be failing late Tuesday.

Although 55.53 percent of the returned ballots were yes votes, the levy needs 60 percent to pass.

Pend Oreille County Auditor Ann Swenson said there were about 500 ballots still out late Tuesday.

Staff writer Robin Rivers contributed to this report.