County revamps auction prep policy

Whitman County has increased its fee to put excess county-owned property up for auction.

Sept. 5 County commissioners approved changing the fee to $500 to cover costs in the event that a bidder who requested the property fails to come through with a bid.

The matter came to a head after two instances this year in which the county received a request from a citizen who wanted to purchase county property. The request included assurances that the resident would follow through with a bid.

The bid never materialized after the county paid for three weeks’ legal advertising and records filing. The cost...