County may put CETC up

A public hearing on the future of the Community Education and Training Center building in Colfax will take place before Whitman County commissioners Oct. 29.

Commissioners Monday received an appraisal of the building’s value in an executive session Monday before deciding to set the hearing.

“Let’s get this process started and see what we come up with,” said Commissioner Pat O’Neill.

The county took possession of the building, the former Colfax Elks Club, from the Port of Whitman County.

Its roof collapsed under a heavy snow load in January 2009. The building has been closed during winter months since.

The hearing will be to gauge public opinion on whether the building would have more value to the community under private ownership.

“One of the thoughts to open it up is to see if there’s a better use for it,” said Commissioner Greg Partch. “To see if it would make sense to put it back on the tax rolls.”

County Treasurer Robert Lothspeich said the CETC was once viewed as a center for bringing community college courses to Colfax. He noted several meetings took place between local officials and Spokane Community College before the school decided to set up classes in Gladish Community Center in Pullman.

“SCC decided to pursue their opportunities in Pullman,” he said. “Once that happened, they dropped us like a hot potato.

The building costs the county about $5,000 a year in maintenance, insurance and utility costs.

Partch said reducing that expense could help balance the county’s operating budget.

“That’s one more thing we are putting money into,” he noted.

Partch and O’Neill differed on getting rid of the building last year, with O’Neill calling it a “money drain,” but Partch thinking it held more benefits for the community as a public space.

It was used last weekend for the annual Hullabaloo poker tournament and has previously been used for public meetings and as a space to train nursing students.

County officials tried to give the building to the city of Colfax last year, but the city council rejected the proposal.

The roof has remained sub-standard since the snow damage in 2009. Estimates from county officials put repairs to the structure in the $150,000 range.

The county’s insurer, Travelers, paid $15,000, and would pay another $4,000 if the county repairs the building. Travelers contended most of the problems with the CETC stem from improper foundation preparations when the CETC was constructed in 1972 after the former Elks building was destroyed by fire.

The building moved into public ownership after the charter for the local Elks Lodge was closed by the national organization.