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Commissioners delay approval to donate Forest Hills volunteer fire station to local nonprofit, ask for deed terms
Summary
After learning the building reverted to county ownership, commissioners and residents raised maintenance, notice and reverter‑clause concerns. The board asked staff to return with a deed including a reverter clause, pictures and clearer conditions before acting on the donation.
County staff described the Forest Hills volunteer fire station as an old building that reverted to county ownership when the volunteer department dissolved and is currently used by a local nonprofit as a community center. Residents asked whether other organizations had the opportunity to bid for or receive the property and requested assurances about continued emergency uses, such as sandbag distribution.
One commenter asked why the county would deed the property to a single organization rather than offer it countywide; staff replied the nonprofit has used the facility for years and proposed language in the deed would preserve county access for sandbag distribution and could include a reverter clause should the property cease to serve community needs.
After discussion the board withdrew the motion to approve and reached consensus to bring the item back with photos, more specific deed language including a reverter clause and explicit obligations about emergency access and maintenance before any final transfer.
