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Lewis County declares historic church surplus, issues sealed-bid call with preservation covenant
Summary
The county declared a church property surplus and issued sealed-bid instructions requiring bidders to commit to preserving the building’s historic character and follow an existing restrictive covenant; public commenters asked the county to protect the property’s history.
Lewis County commissioners voted July 15 to declare a historic church property surplus and directed staff to accept sealed bids that must demonstrate how the buyer will preserve the building’s historic nature and comply with a recorded restrictive covenant.
The county’s call for bids (published as notice item Resolution 25-193) requires bidders to submit a sealed package clearly marked for the church property and to include a proposal showing how the buyer will meet the requirements of the recorded covenant and preserve the site’s historic character. Bids must be received by 3 p.m. Thursday, July 31, 2025, delivered to the commissioners’ office or mailed to the attention of the Lewis County Commissioners at Room 210, 351 Northwest North Street.
Why it matters: Residents expressed concern during public comment about the future of the county-owned building and its role in local history. The county’s notice asks prospective buyers to affirm preservation plans in their proposals and to show how they will uphold the recorded covenant.
Public comment: Rex Bacall of Centralia told commissioners he was concerned about the county disposing of the church property and asked that the county preserve the historically intact building, saying the plaque identifies the church as belonging to the people of Lewis County.
Board action: The board approved notice items, including the call for bids, and later approved deliberation items that declared the property surplus (Resolution 25-203). The motions were approved by roll call as part of grouped deliberation items; the vote on the notice items was recorded as 3-0, and the deliberation approvals passed 3-0.
Clarifications from county staff: County staff told bidders they must include a proposal describing how the purchaser will preserve the historic nature of the church and adhere to the recorded restrictive covenant; the bid package must state those commitments and be received by July 31, 2025.
Ending: The county will accept sealed proposals through the July 31 deadline and review offers for compliance with the preservation covenant; staff instructed interested residents to speak with the county manager for details.
