New property to house Health Department

PULLMAN — The Whitman County Health Department will be moving into a new facility after County Commissioners purchased property in Pullman.

During the Monday, Dec. 2, regular business meeting commissioners moved and approved the purchase of 1240 Southeast Bishop Boulevard Suite P and Q.

“We’ve been contemplating purchasing new property for the Health Department since it became known that making the current facility compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements is not in the best interest of the county,” County Commissioner Tom Handy said.

Handy reported that they found this property and it is within the county’s budget. The building checks most of all the boxes for the Health Department to move into.

The property is at a purchase price of $669,000 before the associated closing fees that will go along with it at a total cost of $677,514.35 including money already paid.

Swannack reported that the commissioners’ independent appraisal of the property came to a value that was right there in what the purchase price was.

“Which makes it definitely justifiable to be able to purchase where the appraisal came in substantially lower than what the property we were looking at was,” Swannack said.

Handy reported that the building is in the 3,000 square foot range and the two suites are connected.

“It’s nearly three times the square footage,” Handy said in regards to how much bigger the space is than where the Health Department is currently located.

The commissioners are anticipating using .09 Funds to pay for the building and are planning on doing minor work to get into ADA compliance with updates to carpet, paint and more.

“We are replacing the HVAC which is near end of life,” said Handy, noting that moving and renovations could be done in three or four months around spring or early summer.

According to past reports, the commissioners have been looking at finding a new building since October of 2023.

Commissioners also approved a month to month Lease Agreement for Office Space at the location to continue to house a current tenant in the building.