Nonprofit and county begin title review after long-running confusion over Lenox Park parcels

Representatives of Imagine the Possibilities told the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors that a review of deeds and county GIS has revealed contradictory records about who owns several parcels in the Lenox Park area, and the nonprofit and county staff agreed to begin targeted title searches to resolve the discrepancy.

Cheryl Plank, who introduced herself as chief strategic advancement officer for Imagine the Possibilities, said the nonprofit reviewed its asset list while preparing to close its CAN redemption (bottle/can) center and discovered GIS records showing the county holds title to land the nonprofit has long treated as its own. Brock Anderson, identified as advancement administrator for Imagine the Possibilities, attended as support.

Plank said property records and leases in the area have changed repeatedly over decades; she said some lots show deeds in Imagine's records while GIS lists county ownership and that a current county lease (she referenced a lease document from roughly 1980) does not clearly list all the blocks in question. The nonprofit said it had already placed several parcels on its financial statements as organization assets and had done appraisals after merging with another organization; the merger surfaced questions about ownership.

County participants advised a methodical approach. An attendee identified as "Trent" recommended beginning with a title opinion for the parcel in question; another county official (who the transcript records as a county staff member) recommended pulling deed and recorder-office records and running a root-of-title search. County staff advised starting with the parcel containing the CAN redemption center because Imagine intended to dispose of that property in March and needed clarity before moving forward. Several supervisors suggested the nonprofit place an explanatory note in its 2024 audit that ownership is under review.

The board discussed who should pay for title searches. County counsel and staff said title searches are a standard part of property transactions and could be required for sale financing; the parties discussed options for sharing costs, or for the nonprofit to fund an initial search. A county attorney-level participant explained that state law requires showing a substantial public interest to donate county land to a nonprofit and that the county must review original leases and deeds to determine obligations and liabilities.

Outcome and next steps: both sides agreed to prioritize a title search for the CAN redemption center parcel and to consolidate documents for the auditor. The county said it would provide the lease it has on file and the nonprofit said it would provide its asset lists and deed copies for parcels where it has documentation. The county auditor was asked to record a notation in the nonprofit's audit file indicating the title questions.

Ending: Both the nonprofit and county staff said they would begin the document-gathering steps and report back with title-search results; until then, both parties will treat ownership of the disputed parcels as "in question" for accounting and planning purposes.