Warren County officials and Harry Gilliland of HHG LLC are expected to close the sale of the Magnolia Road property Monday, according to Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard George.

Gilliland made the highest offer for the property in May at $154,300. County administrator John Smith said Board of Supervisors president Richard George and vice president John Arnold were able to get Gilliland to increase his bid by $12,500 to $166,800 during negotiations. The board accepted the price Monday.

The supervisors in March decided to try and sell the property directly to a private group or individual by negotiation, rather than the public sealed bid.

The decision came after the supervisors received what they believed were inadequate bids on the 12-acre property, which was twice put up for sale by public bid, once in December and again in January.

They received no bids the first time and two bids from the January advertisement, which they rejected in March.

The county acquired the land in the mid-1960s as part of an economic development program to allow F.L. Cappaert to expand his Magnolia Mobile Homes business.

The land was later subleased to another person, who then sold their lease interest.

When that individual did not keep the lease up, it terminated the lease and the land returned to the county.