Washington County officials moved to send a resolution to the full quorum court that would allow the county to pursue abatements and place liens on properties judged to be unsanitary in unincorporated areas.

Councilor Baker presented drone and ground photos of a burned structure at 19443 Nob Hill Loop and described recent citizen complaints, noting the owner lives out of state. He said the county mailed an initial notice in December and, under a referenced county statute, would provide 30 days for the owner to begin corrective action before the county could remove debris and place a lien for materials on the property.

Baker told the court the building appears to be occupied at times and contains trash and appliances; he said neighbors reported a continuing stench and safety concerns. "It's pretty dangerous," he said while describing the site and the neighborhood impact.

Members pressed for process details: JP Ricker and others noted city procedures use certified mail and FEMA standards to compute cleanup costs; the county attorney said the county statute (spoken in the meeting as "14 14 8 13") outlines remedies and the county's court process could be used to effect abatement.

The court voted by voice to send the proposed resolution to the full quorum court with a 'do pass' recommendation so the county judge's office may proceed with required notices and potential demolition or cleanup procedures.

Next steps: County staff said they will attempt additional contact with the owner, pursue statutory notice requirements, and—if no response is received—bid or contract for cleanup and place a lien for materials or rental equipment costs. The full quorum court will review and decide whether to authorize abatement.