Washington council votes to join county land bank
Washington City Council voted unanimously Thursday to enter into an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement to participate in the Washington County Land Bank.
The motion was approved contingent upon both parties agreeing on proposed changes in contract language.
The land bank, which is operated by the Washington County Redevelopment Authority, uses available resources to return blighted, vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties to productive use.
Also Thursday, the “Pride in Washington” certificate of appreciation was awarded to the Dreamers Company, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing Washington’s residential and commercial properties.
“We are so honored to be a part of it,” said Aaron Miller, executive director of the Dreamers Company. “We were shocked. It’s an award that hasn’t been around for a while. When it was brought back (Mayor Scott Putnam) said we were the first ones he thought about. We’re just really honored. We don’t do our work for the attention, but it is nice to be appreciated.”
The nonprofit was formed in 2013 with three initiatives: a house-by-house home repair program; Play Washington, in which attention is placed on community assets such as playgrounds and green spaces, and beautification in downtown Washington.