Editing Omak, Washington (section)

==Government and politics==
[[File:Omak, WA - City Hall & Fire Department.jpg|thumb|right|[[Omak City Hall]]]]

The City of Omak's [[mayor–council government]] comprises a mayor{{mdash}}who also represents north-central Washington's separate economic development district<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncwedd.com/membership.htm |title=Current Membership Positions – 2012 |publisher=North Central Washington Development District |year=2012 |access-date=April 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709022901/http://www.ncwedd.com/membership.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>{{mdash}}and a seven-member council.<ref name="council">{{cite web |url=http://www.omakcity.com/city_council.html |title=Omak City Council |publisher=City of Omak |access-date=March 7, 2013}}</ref> These positions, stipulated by the Omak City Code,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omakcity.com/municipal_code.html |title=Omak City Municipal Code |publisher=City of Omak |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> are subject to [[plurality-at-large voting|at-large]] elections every two years, rather than by geographic subdivisions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.omakchronicle.com/archives/db_stories.asp?story=20071017A06-02 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615101458/http://www.omakchronicle.com/archives/db_stories.asp?story=20071017A06-02 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |title=Omak City Council At Large position Two-year term |work=Omak–Okanogan County Chronicle |date=October 17, 2007 |access-date=April 19, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2007/oct/23/omak-city-council-candidates/ |title=Omak City Council candidates |work=The Wenatchee World |date=October 27, 2007 |access-date=March 7, 2013}}</ref> Like most portions of the United States, government and laws are run by a series of ballot initiatives whereby citizens can pass or reject laws, referendums whereby citizens can approve or reject legislation already passed, and propositions where specific government agencies can propose new laws or tax increases directly to the people. Federally, Omak is part of [[Washington's 4th congressional district]],<ref>{{cite map |url=http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/maps.asp |title=2012 Final Plan adopted by the Commission and amended by the Legislature on February 7, 2012 |publisher=[[Washington Redistricting Commission]] |access-date=March 14, 2013 |archive-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219213105/http://www.redistricting.wa.gov/maps.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> represented by Republican [[Dan Newhouse]], who was sworn in on January 3, 2015. The current mayor, Cindy Gagne, was first elected in 2000 as a councilwomen, and was appointed in May 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omakcity.com/mayor_cindy_gagne.html |title=Mayor Cindy Gagne |publisher=City of Omak |access-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref>

The State of Washington operates a [[public administration|public government administration]] office in Omak for access to [[Washington Department of Social and Health Services|social and health assistance]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dshs.wa.gov/dvr/contactus/omak.aspx |title=Washington State DVR – Omak Office |publisher=[[Washington Department of Social and Health Services]] |access-date=April 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401031338/http://www.dshs.wa.gov/dvr/ContactUs/omak.aspx |archive-date=April 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Omak is considered to be a code city,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mrsc.org/cityprofiles/citylist.aspx |title=Washington City and Town Profiles |publisher=Municipal Research and Services Center |access-date=June 6, 2013 |archive-date=November 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121200637/http://www.mrsc.org/cityprofiles/citylist.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> based on proposals to provide the local government with more authority from its previous second-class city status.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.omakchronicle.com/archives/db_stories.asp?story=20070110A03-6 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615101451/http://www.omakchronicle.com/archives/db_stories.asp?story=20070110A03-6 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |title=Omak City Council hears about hiring administrator |work=Omak–Okanogan County Chronicle |date=January 10, 2007 |access-date=May 10, 2013 }}</ref> With a functional court for traffic, parking and civil infractions, the city maintains the sewer, water, local road, sidewalk, street lighting, animal control, building inspection, park, and recreation services. It also funds a volunteer fire department which services Omak and nearby rural communities.

Omak is also governed by an eight-member planning commission{{mdash}}part of the Omak City Council{{mdash}}which also operates the Greater Omak Comprehensive Plan, adopted in April 2004 and consisting of improvements considered for the city and surrounding communities.<ref name="airport" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omakcity.com/planning_commission.html |title=Omak City Planning Commission |publisher=City of Omak |access-date=March 14, 2013}}</ref> The five-member Omak Library Board and Tree Board are also divisions of the Omak City Council, with public meetings taking place at the Omak Public Library.<ref name="publiclibrary" /> With four-year terms for participants, the local [[Civil Service Commission]] services Omak.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omakcity.com/BoardsCommissions.html |title=Omak City Board and Commissions |publisher=City of Omak |access-date=March 14, 2013}}</ref>  Shortly after being incorporated in 1911, Omak unsuccessfully contested Okanogan to become the administrative center of Okanogan County, after [[Conconully, Washington|Conconully]] lost its status.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |title=Okanogan County, WA |publisher=[[National Association of Counties]] |access-date=March 18, 2013}}</ref> During the temperance movement before national prohibition, Omak residents favored the banishment of alcohol in Washington, which was opposed by those of Okanogan.<ref name="stampedetown" /> The [[United States Army]] (USA) operates two military recruiting centers in Omak,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yellowpages.com/omak-washington/us-army-recruiting-office?g=Omak%2C+Washington&q=US+Army+Recruiting+Office |title=United States Army Recruiting Office in Omak, WA |publisher=[[Yellowpages.com|Yellow Pages]] |access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref> although a historical military band, the Omak Military Band, also operated around 1910.<ref>{{cite web |author=[[Frank S. Matsura|Matsura, Frank]] |url=http://kaga.wsulibs.wsu.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/matsura&CISOPTR=798&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 |title=Omak Military Band, Omak, Washington, 1910 |publisher=Washington State University |access-date=February 26, 2013 |archive-date=February 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201192816/http://kaga.wsulibs.wsu.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmatsura&CISOPTR=798&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The five-officer Omak Police Department detachment, which covered the municipality and nearby rural communities, reported over 180 [[criminal code]] offenses in 2010. The city's crime rate of 154 offenses per 100,000 people is 28 percent higher than the 2010 state average and one percent higher than the 2010 federal average.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/washington/omak.html#.UUpyN1ctegs |title=Omak Crime Rate Report (Washington) |publisher=CityRating.com |year=2013 |access-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref> According to [[Uniform Crime Report]] statistics compiled by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) in 2011, there were 19 violent crimes and 166 property crimes. The violent crimes consisted of one forcible rape, three robberies and 15 aggravated assaults, while 32 burglaries, 104 larceny-thefts, eight motor vehicle thefts and one arson defined the property crimes. The FBI classifies Omak as having 4,921 people located within the Omak Police Department area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table8statecuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_washington_by_city_2011.xls |type=XLS |title=Table 8 – Washington – Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City, 2011 |publisher=[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]  |year=2011 |access-date=March 7, 2013}}</ref> The city's highest crime rate was recorded in 2004, with 413 incidents per 100,000 people. Until 2013, when a murder and motor-vehicle theft occurred in the city,<ref>{{cite news |first=K.C. |last=Mehaffey |url=http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013/feb/11/88-year-old-omak-man-killed-vehicle-stolen/ |title=88-year-old Omak man killed, vehicle stolen |work=The Wenatchee World |date=February 11, 2013 |access-date=March 19, 2013}}</ref> there had not been a homicide for over ten consecutive years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Washington – Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City – Historical Records |publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation }}</ref> The crime in Omak has decreased throughout the past decade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usa.com/omak-wa-crime-and-crime-rate.htm |title=Omak, WA Crime and Crime Rate – Omak, WA Crime by Year |publisher=USA.com |access-date=March 19, 2013}}</ref> Before marijuana was legalized in Washington, marijuana users were arrested, per [[State law (United States)|state law]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j608AAAAIBAJ&sjid=1RQGAAAAIBAJ&pg=2837,2331901&dq=omak+marijuana&hl=en |title=More marijuana found growing in area |work=The Sun |location=Seattle |date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=May 20, 2013}}</ref> Growers, [[drug lord]]s and international smugglers residing in the Omak area are still arrested.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-27320919.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702062137/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-27320919.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 2, 2014 |title=Marijuana smuggler gets 57 months in prison; Canadian used helicopter, high-tech gear; to pilot potent pot across border |work=The Spokesman-Review |date=November 2, 2001 |access-date=May 20, 2013}}{{subscription required|publisher=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref>