Bid accepted for city hall, 2nd offer approved as backup

WAITSBURG —Waitsburg Mayor Marty Dunn called the city council meeting to order on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 7 p.m. at city hall. City council members Jillian Henze, Jennifer Bishop, Kevin House, and City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe were present. Council members Jim Romine and Court Ruppenthal were not present.

In public comment, representatives from the Touchet River Roundup, known as Woody’s Pig Roast, told the council they disagreed with a memo from the city administrator to the council. Hinchliffe recommended that the council not allow the event to continue at the fairgrounds due to past damage, drugs left behind last year, and whether the event benefited local businesses.

The event’s organizers said they had always repaired damage and were surprised by the recommendation.

After public comment, the council discussed the issue as an action agenda item. They heard from Public Works Specialist Jeremy Elsey, who claimed he found fentanyl on the site after last year’s event. Organizers said they did not know about the drugs.

The council heard from Hinchliffe that the group left the property better than they found it. There was a discussion of a cleaning deposit and a tour before and after the event with organizers and a city council member. The council voted to continue renting to the group for its annual Memorial Day event.

After the previous sales agreement fell through, the city discussed two new offers for the former city hall building. Bids were submitted by David Seidl, who also bid last round, and Chet Childers, who had an earlier bid accepted but ended it before the feasibility period ended.

The council chose Seidl’s offer for $130,000, with no financing, feasibility ending March 31, and the closing date being April 4. The offer proposes apartments upstairs and a “we-work” space on the ground floor.

The council decided to stack the offers to avoid another round of bids or a special council meeting. Should Seidl back out of his deal, the council approved the Childer bid, which was $130,000, with no feasibility period, and closing on April 4.

The council approved a wage increase for staff at the Weller Public Library and the adoption of the Walla Walla County Hazard Mitigation Plan before adjourning.