Warden buys new city hall

WARDEN - Warden's city administration is moving into the former Bank of Whitman building.

The city council recently approved purchasing the building, located at 121 S Main St. for $138,500 from the FDIC.

The Warden branch was closed in August 2011 following large loan losses, according to the Washington Department of Financial Institutions. The branches in Mattawa, Warden and Royal City were closed, and the Othello branch became a Columbia State Bank branch.

City Clerk and Treasurer Kris Shuler said the city began looking to purchase the property following the closure of the branch.

"I had talked to the council during (the) budget session, if they would be interested in looking at the building," she said. "So I contacted the realtor and we did a walk through."

Warden Mayor Tony Massa said it was far less expensive to purchase the former branch than it would be to construct a new building.

"We're running out of room here," he said. "Nobody really has any offices ... (The present city hall) used to be the fire station, and there was a pretty incredible opportunity to not take advantage of because you just can't buy anything for that or build anything for that."

The city was saving money by delaying remodels to the present city hall to hopefully upgrade the building, Massa said.

"Council decided it was a good and wise purchase," he said. "It will help us upgrade and hopefully look a little more professional."

The new building won't require much remodeling, Massa said. They plan to keep the counters and offices the same.

"We may put in one wall," he said. "We're not planning on dumping a lot of money into it."

The new building will have the city administrator's and mayor's office along with the city clerk and treasurer and other administrative staff, Massa said. The city council chamber is remaining in its present location. The police department is taking the remaining space over.

"We're going to have a more efficient use of space and our time in that type of respect, so we're going to be able to represent the community on Main Street in a very nice looking building," Shuler said.