Harney County Court votes to liquidate Lincoln building, schedules special session

Harney County Court voted July 1, 2026 to move forward with liquidation of the county-owned Lincoln building and scheduled a special session for the next morning to execute a formal court order required to accept or consider offers.

The discussion followed an open house attended by about 50 people. Court members said the county lacks funds to renovate the building and that a recent $3 million state allocation would not have been sufficient to reopen the facility. County counsel advised that because the property was not acquired through foreclosure, the court may proceed with a direct sale but should first issue an order authorizing disposal and outline a fair solicitation process.

Commissioners debated options for disposition: a direct sale, a partnership (public-private or nonprofit), or a short public solicitation (described in the meeting as a brief bulletin run statewide, with the Daily Journal of Commerce suggested as one channel). Several commissioners emphasized transparency and a short advertisement window (two weeks to one month) while noting that an unsolicited offer is currently on the table and its status must be confirmed.

A motion to proceed with liquidation was made, seconded and carried on a voice vote. After a closed deliberation in executive session, the court reported it will prepare and execute a court order before taking any action on offers and will meet in special session on July 2 at 10:00 a.m. to finalize that order.

Why it matters: The Lincoln building has been under county ownership for several years; commissioners said disposal would remove an ongoing liability, return the property to the tax rolls and allow a private owner to invest in repairs or repurpose the facility.

Next steps: The court will issue a formal order at the special session and then determine solicitation details, how to handle the unsolicited offer and the timeframe for public outreach.