The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg City Council last Tuesday chose to sell about 25 acres of land to The Mc- Gregor Company to expand its Waitsburg operations and add four to 10 more jobs in the city.

The approval this week ends the months-long saga of what Waitsburg was going to do with a city-owned bunk house that had collapsed.

The bunk house, formerly an apple-packing plant that came down in a storm in late 2011, was previously believed to contain asbestos or lead and removing it could have been costly for the city. Last March, the council learned there was little or no toxicity from asbestos or lead and council members began hearing from residents and business owners who would be interested in clear- ing the bunk house for the salvage wood or in exchange for the land.

A handful of parties inter- ested in swapping the bunk house land for its demolition and some who wanted to salvage the lumber came to the city throughout the past months with different offers. At last month's city council meeting, the council agreed to issue a formal request and accept bids for the bunk house removal and possible land purchase.

The city believed it could get about $3,000 an acre for the 25 acres. Selling all of them could put $72,000 in the city's coffers for outstanding city bills, said City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe.

The only official proposal submitted to the city was from The McGregor Com- pany, which has maintained a Waitsburg office since 1988, according to the company's website.

In official correspondence to the city, Pat McCon- nell, the general manager of retail operations for the McGregor, said the company wanted to purchase 25 acres of property from the city, the entire parcel of land the city currently owns in that bunk house area, to expand the company's facility to the east of that property.

"The property will be used to expand our Blue Mountain Working Group headquarters eventually add- ing four to 10 more jobs for the facility and insuring that the 20 full-time positions that currently work at the Waitsburg facility remain in Waitsburg for the future," McConnell wrote.

McConnell offered $3,100 per acre, $77,500 total, as long as it could purchase the entire parcel of land, according to the letter. In addition to purchasing the parcel, the company would dispose of the old bunk house and clean up the property.

Mark Johnson, of Har- ry Johnson Plumbing who originally wanted to swap demolition for 2 acres of bunk house land to bring his business to Waitsburg, will handle the cleanup and disposal for the company. Finally, the company offered to allow local citizens to use remnants of the bunk house as a community enhancement project that could tell the history of the bunk house.

Hinchliffe said Tuesday night McGregor's meets all qualifications and recom- mended the council accept the offer.

Councilman Scott Nettles said he wasn't ready to sup- port a sale to McGregor's because the sale could impede other companies from moving into town. He was concerned about chemical leaks and foul smells in the community.

"I can't do that - not with good conscience," Nettles said.

Councilman Marty Dunn dissented and said Mc- Gregor's will employ local people and the city's parcel of property won't be as desir- able to companies wanting to move into town as the nearby Port of Walla Walla property would be.

The parcel of land with the bunk house is currently being farmed, and Dunn said he believes the city could get out of the farming business with this transaction.

"I definitely think we need to move forward," Dunn said. "We're not in the business to farm."

Hinchliffe agreed and said owning so many acres doesn't benefit the city much.

Mayor Walt Gobel said if the city sold the parcel to McGregor's, it would be able to collect taxes on it.

Also, he said the expan- sion of the company will add to the number of jobs in the area.

"We're going to have more of our local people employed," Gobel said.

City Attorney Kris He- dine said as soon as the council approved the sale and the earnest money agreement is signed, the bunk house re- moval can finally begin.

"The transaction shouldn't take much time to close," Hedine said, adding that it would be especially quick because it would be a cash transaction.

The sale to McGregor's was approved by Nettles, Dunn and Councilman Karl Newell. Councilman KC Kuykendall was absent and Councilman Kevin House recused himself from voting.