Full Notification

Grant County Government
Agency and Department
Operational Changes due to response to COVID-19
These apply through April 1, 2020
 
Sheriff’s Office: No jail visitation. No issuing new concealed pistol licenses. No fingerprinting for pre-employment background checks. CPL renewals will be handled through the service window at the sheriff’s office.
***********
Assessor’s Office: Currently the Assessor’s Office is open to the public, however we do ask that you call first to make sure there has not been any changes to that policy. 
You can contact the office at (509)754-2011 ext. 2683 as we may be able to help over the phone, email or online.
***********
Auditor’s Office: The Grant County Auditor’s office is offering limited, in-person, services. We are still here to help, but you MUST call us first.

• We have online self-services options available on our website. If online service is not possible, please call us.
• Our accounting department will be handling the day to day activities through mail, email, fax and phone. Payroll may be picked up at accounting’s door during the half hour the mailroom is open (9:30-10 a.m.) on the regular payday only. If payroll is not picked up during the allotted time, live checks will be mailed to employees and paystubs will be sent through interoffice mail.
• All special districts A/P & payroll will be done through the mail. If you have any questions please contact:
  Madeline Prentice, Chief Accountant [email protected] ext. 2735
  Katie Smith, Senior Accountant, [email protected] ext. 2740
  Gennifer Markin, Accountant, [email protected] ext. 2745
  Rachel Jorgensen, Payroll Administrator [email protected] ext. 2791
  Emili Wash, Accounting Clerk, [email protected] ext. 2741
  Fax # 509-754-6071

Department of Licensing, we ask that you process tab renewals via internet if possible at www.dol.wa.gov. If you do not have access, we have our election drop box available in parking lot A. Place your renewal along with payment in the drop box and it will be processed and returned by mail. Titles along with the proper paperwork can be placed in the election drop box and will be returned by mail. Please contact our office for other transactions needed:

• Lori Kinzel, Licensing & Recording Supervisor, [email protected] ext. 2742
  Diane Horton, Licensing Deputy, [email protected] ext. 2737
  Yaneht Baldovinos, Licensing Deputy, [email protected] ext. 2738
  Kaylyn Orozco, Licensing Deputy, [email protected] ext. 2759

Recordings/e-Recordings

• We are asking that all recordings be made through our e-Recording partners or through the mail. If you feel it must be dropped off in person, there will be a drop box in the lobby or you may use the election drop box in parking lot A. Any and all survey and plat maps must be sent through the mail.
• Our e-Recording partners are
• Simplifile: https://simplifile.com/services/e-recording/
• CSC https://www.erecording.com/

Marriage Licenses

• If you must obtain a marriage license, please use the online application forms. Once they are filled out, signed and notarized, mail them in with a check for $59.00. We will process the applications and mail the marriage license package to you. Please apply 30 days prior to your ceremony to allow processing and mail time. You are responsible for obtaining a notary for your signatures. Contact our office with any other questions.
• Contact information for Recording:
  ​Laurie Buchanan, Recording Deputy, [email protected] ext. 2732
  Danielle Rice, Recording Deputy, [email protected] ext. 2736
  Fax # 509-754-6081

Elections information can be found on our website under Auditor’s by clicking on Elections. You can register to vote at voter.votewa.gov and find information on Voting in Washington. Please call for any information if you don’t have access to internet service. Please contact the following:

• Trisha Stevens, Certified Elections Manager, [email protected] ext. 2704
  Dedra Osborn, Certified Election Administrator, [email protected] ext. 2704
  Michele Blondin, Certified Election Administrator, [email protected] ext. 2704

These directives will remain in effect until further directions from the State of Washington. We appreciate your cooperation in controlling this emergency.
**************
District Court: Effective Immediately, Grant County District Court Judges have created and signed an Emergency Administrative Order which will be limiting our court hearings until April 24th. District Court will continue to hear some hearings and our Office is still open to the public. If anyone has questions, please call 509-754-2011 ext 3101.
**************
Superior Court:

1. All jury trials scheduled between the dates of this Order and Friday, May 1, 2020 shall be rescheduled to a date after May 1, 2020.
2. Defendants in criminal matters scheduled for a jury trial between the date of this Order and Friday, May 1, 2020 shall appear on the next hearing date identified in their current Criminal Case Scheduling Order to receive a new trial date. However, defendants willing to have their matter proceed to trial before a Superior Court Judge without a jury can maintain their current trial date with a signed waiver of jury trial.
3. Counsel for defendants who are not in custody are encouraged to work with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to agree to new case scheduling dates that are sometime after May 1, 2020, appropriately staggered so as not to create too large of a congestion on the new dates agreed to.
4. In order to alleviate Criminal Docket caseloads (on Mondays and Tuesdays), Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. shall be reserved for additional criminal matters. The Court will schedule matters on Wednesdays as it deems necessary and/or prudent depending on identified caseloads. CrR 3.5 and 3.6 hearings may be scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and/or 9:00 a.m. on Thursdays.
5. Parties in civil matters who currently have a jury trial scheduled between the date of this Order and May 1, 2020 can contact the Court Administrator to schedule a new trial date. Bench Trials are not affected by this Order. All bench trials already scheduled will proceed.
6. Parties involved in family law matters normally scheduled on Fridays are encouraged to schedule all non-emergency motions and hearings to a date after May 1, 2020. The Court Commissioner may continue family law hearings to Thursdays as determined by the Court Commissioner.

***********
Jury Duty: Juries are cancelled because we are not hearing any jury trials until after May 1st.
Please call (509)754-2011 ext. 4179
**********
Fairgrounds: All events have been postponed until after April 26th at the Fairgrounds. The staff is working. If you need to visit with the Fairgrounds staff in person please call 509-765-3581 to schedule an appointment. For additional information please visit our website at gcfairgrounds.com or visit our Facebook page.
***********
Development Services: Development Services will close to the public beginning 8 am on Wednesday March 18, 2020. The public closure is expected to last until April 1, 2020 when the office will evaluate the state of the COVID-19 situation and decide if additional closure duration is warranted. During this time we have strategies in place to maintain our permitting and inspections.
**********
Prosecuting Attorney: Due to the ongoing emergency and based on recommendations from health officials the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office has gone to minimal in office staffing, with remaining personnel working from home. The Prosecutor’s office will be closed to in person visits. If you need assistance, please contact us at (509)750-2011 ext 3950 or [email protected]
***********
Moses Lake Fire Department: In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, MLFD personnel will be wearing modified hazardous materials suits while responding to emergency medical calls. While the appearance of the suits may be startling, they are wearing the suits out of an abundance of caution to keep the area's emergency response capacity as intact as possible.
***********
New Hope/and Kids Hope: Effective immediately, we are drastically limiting the number of staff working in our offices by implementing the following changes:

• New Hope will provide emergency intakes via walk-in with limited staff capacity.
• Our employees will not be attending any community meetings; we will attend via phone or web when possible.
• In person groups will be cancelled.
• Regularly scheduled on-site therapy sessions will be rescheduled or may be conducted via tele-health platforms.
• We will be cancelling any prevention and outreach activities.
• We will be closed from 12-1 daily.
  We will offer legal, medical and community based advocacy via phone or FaceTime 24/7.
• We will offer emergency domestic violence shelter alternatives. Our shelter is currently full.
• Kids Hope will be doing emergency forensic interviews only. Those appointments will be referred through regular protocol—via CPS or law enforcement by contacting Elisa Adolphsen through our hotline 1.888.560.6027 or her work cell phone 509.670.0985.

**********
Treasurer’s Office: The Grant County Treasurer's Office remains open to serve you during our normal business hours of 8:00am to noon and from 1:00 to 5:00pm Monday through Friday. However, current circumstances with the COVID-19 virus means that you are encouraged to explore the many alternative ways you can conduct business with us.

• You can drop your check payment at the drive up drop box located in the north small courthouse parking lot next to the Auditor ballot drop box. (We will mail a receipt to all payments dropped in that box for your record)
• You can pay your property taxes online www.grantcountywa.gov with the link “Pay Tax Bills” under the Treasurer’s Tab. You can pay your property taxes via an eCheck, VISA Debit or any major Credit Card (there is a fee $1.00 for e-check, $3.95 VISA Debit and 2.5 %Credit Card payments).

If you normally pay your taxes in cash you can mail us a money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Grant County Treasurer. We are still available to answer phone calls with your tax questions at 509-754-2011 x4299.
*********
Youth Services/Juvenile Court: Grant County Juvenile Court and Youth Services will be hearing the Monday Criminal Offender Docket and Tuesday Dependency Docket at the Grant County Courthouse at the Law and Justice Building Courtroom#1 beginning next Monday March 23, 2020 through April 27, 2020.
*********
 
 
 

Instructions:

Wash your hands and practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19.