Skamania County approves purchase of Stevenson building, authorizes special warrant up to $1.05 million

The Skamania County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved Resolution 2025-11 authorizing the purchase of property at 266 Southwest Second Street in Stevenson and directed county financial staff to issue a special warrant of up to $1,050,000 payable to Clark County Title to meet a closing expected next week.

The resolution authorizes the county chair to sign closing documents and permits the financial management administrator to work with the auditor’s office on a special voucher run so the title company can receive funds before the scheduled closing. Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution and the motion to proceed with the warrant.

County staff told commissioners the closing may occur June 16 or 17 and that Clark County Title requires the warrant in hand to deposit funds before a Tuesday closing. The county obtained a preprinted label from the title company and had coordinated with the auditor to run a special payment outside the routine voucher cycle. The board also approved a separate motion directing the financial management administrator to issue a warrant, as needed, up to $1,050,000 for the purchase.

Commissioners discussed logistics for signing closing documents remotely or in advance and noted the county chair might need to sign forms electronically or in person depending on the title company’s timing. No amendments to the purchase price or closing schedule were disclosed at the meeting.

The purchase was presented as a county action to secure property needed for county operations; staff said additional closing steps would be handled by the chair and the financial management administrator in coordination with the auditor and the title company.