Jail building, roads: Board approves two state of emergency declarations

Whitman County Commissioners approved Monday two emergency declarations, the first for the jail building which houses the coroner’s office and information technology after a problem with sewage backup.

The second was for incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county in proximity to streams and rivers in a response to last week’s flooding.

“Kind of an L-shape―across the top and right side of the county,” said Brandon Kruger, operations manager for the county’s roads and bridges maintenance.

The declarations allow county departments to contract for repairs without going through the bid pro...