The Williams County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 7 approved staff-recommended minimum bid amounts for 11 tax-foreclosed properties and set a hearing for township and city objections at the board's Oct. 21 meeting at 8 a.m.

Brenda Johnson of the Auditor’s Office told commissioners that the county had reduced its tax-foreclosure list from roughly 600 at the time she started to 11 properties now slated for sale. The recommended minimum bid spreadsheet presented to the board included amounts reflecting 2022, 2023 and 2024 taxes and a prorated amount for 2025 plus penalties, interest, fees and special assessments.

On one parcel in Granora, staff said the city had removed a dilapidated structure and placed over $47,000 in specials on the tax roll; Johnson said the city of Granora had notified the county it intends to purchase that property before other buyers, and that action will be presented at a future commission meeting.

The board voted to approve the minimum-bid recommendations and to hold the hearing for townships and cities to object on Oct. 21 at 8 a.m.

Why it matters: tax-foreclosure sales return property to the tax rolls and may resolve outstanding special assessments; the hearing gives local governments an opportunity to object or to exercise purchase rights before public sale.

Quotes from the meeting: “We were able to get the list down to 11 properties this year starting out from when I first started, approximately 600,” Brenda Johnson said.

Ending: County staff will publish the foreclosure sale notice with the approved minimum bids and will hold the scheduled hearing Oct. 21 at 8 a.m. to hear objections from townships and cities.