VSO staff to temporarily move into county’s administrative building

information released; caption: The Veteran Services Office, 428 Orondo Ave., will be closed Friday so staff can pack up the office, which will be undergoing a four-month renovation project. The temporary VSO office will re-open on Nov. 12 at 400 Douglas St., level 1.

On Friday, the Chelan County Veteran Services Office will be closed so county staff can pack up the office in preparation for a four-month renovation project that gets underway next week.

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the VSO will re-open at 400 Douglas St., the Administrative Office for the Chelan County commissioners. VSO staff will work out of the first floor of the building, with an entrance available at street level on Washington Street, across from the Chelan County Law and Justice Building.

Two parking spots designated for veterans will be in the alley to the west of the administrative building. On-street parking is also available outside the building’s Washington Street entrance, where there is a wheelchair ramp.

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs SSG Parker Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which operates from the county’s Veteran Services Office, also will be moving temporarily into the Administrative Office.

“When staff move back in, they will have a space that has better workflow and updated amenities,” said Ron Cridlebaugh, Chelan County Economic Services director. “But more importantly, for the people we serve the renovated building will be ADA compliant, with wider hallways, updated restroom facilities and a new wheelchair ramp. The planned renovations also will make the building more energy-efficient and more inviting to visitors.”

The VSO’s permanent home is at 428 Orondo Ave., in a 74-year-old home that was converted to office space when the county purchased the building in 1995.

On Monday, the Board of County Commissioners signed a contract with Veksel Consulting and Contracting of Wenatchee, which will complete the renovation project. Construction will cost $173,000 and is being paid for with COVID-relief monies the county received through the American Rescue Plan Act. Construction will be completed by April 1.

During the relocation, staff telephone numbers and email addresses will remain the same. If you need to contact the Chelan County VSO, call 664-6801, or visit the contact page on the county’s website at https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/veterans-program/pages/veteran-service-offices.

Contact the WDVA at 360-791-1497 or Anthony.Sandoval@dva.wa.gov.