Board plans November bond issue request to fund improvements
By Noelle Ferreira-De Puy
Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster has again won approval of a one-year property tax levy, which is used to offset the high cost of providing emergency room services, in the Aug. 5 primary election.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s board of directors is looking ahead to the November general election ballot, when they will ask residents of Okanogan Douglas County Public Hospital District No. 1 to approve a bond issue that would fund major improvements at the hospital.
According to the Okanogan County Auditor’s Office, combined results from Okanogan and Douglas counties showed the levy being approved with 2,354 yes votes, or 72.1%, to 912 no votes. A 60% supermajority is required for the levy’s approval.
Okanogan County residents of the hospital district, which includes the Methow Valley, were more supportive of the request, giving it 2,225 yes votes or 73.5% to 804 no votes. In the smaller Douglas County portion of the district, the vote was 129-108 in favor, or 54.4% yes. Final results will be certified in each county on Aug. 19.
The one-year property-tax levy goes directly towards funding emergency room services and 24/7 staffing with board-certified physicians. The levy will assess 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value and is expected to generate $1.46 million in total revenue for the hospital. Assessment would begin on Jan. 1, 2026.
The levy revenue is especially meaningful in light of anticipated federal Medicaid cuts as part of the recently passed federal reconciliation bill.
November ballot
In the Nov. 4 general election, Three Rivers will ask voters to approve a bond issue to fund what is being called a “Hybrid Renovation Proposal,” which will include improvements to existing facilities that date back as much as 75 years.
The November request is partially in response to the voters’ rejection of a 2023 bond issue request to support construction of a new hospital.
Since then, hospital board and staff have developed a more focused, practical approach to improve infrastructure in existing buildings instead of rebuilding the hospital entirely. Proposed renovations include an improved acute care area, upgraded electricity, HVAC and plumbing systems, a new roof, and a small two story building between the hospital and clinic.
“Rather than starting from the ground up, this project takes a practical approach by strengthening our current hospital, adding space where it’s most needed, and improving patient privacy and comfort,” board Chair Mike Pruett said in an interview. “These updates will allow us to keep pace with modern health care standards while preserving the connection and trust our community has built over decades.”
Renderings of proposed renovations will be available soon, said Jennifer Best, business and development coordinator at Three Rivers. More information on the renovation is available on the Three Rivers Hospital website, threerivershospital.net.
Okanogan Douglas Public Hospital District 1 is the largest geographically in the state, serving Brewster, Bridgeport, Carlton, Mansfield, Mazama, Methow, Pateros, Twisp and Winthrop.
Three Rivers hospital collaborates with Mid-Valley and North Valley, the two other public hospitals in Okanogan county, to provide coordinated care for rural residents. That includes sharing supplies and specialists among the care centers, along with brainstorming ways for all three hospitals to better serve their communities.
“Our hospital is more than just a building — it’s a lifeline. As a community-owned, nonprofit facility, we are here for everyone, every day, in moments of both joy and crisis,” Pruett said.
