Potential buyer must act by Friday

City may be forced to take ownership and demolish old high school

Following a lengthy executive session Tuesday, the Ritzville City Council voted unanimously to set a deadline for a potential buyer of the old high school on Seventh Street.

If the buyer doesn’t act by the close of business on Friday, the council reluctantly decided to take possession of the building and move forward with its demolition in an effort to eradicate a nuisance.

For several weeks, the city has been waiting for the unnamed buyer to sign an earnest money agreement to start moving forward with the demolition of the old...