Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Real Estate Oversight topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission asks county attorney to review chain of title after school property dispute
Summary
Commissioners directed the county attorney to obtain and review a title search/chain of title for a parcel involved in the recent school property transaction and to present findings; the action followed concern that the county paid for equipment and site work on land where ownership or first-right issues were unclear.
Following controversy around a recent land transaction involving Beaufort County Schools and the City of Washington, the commission directed the county attorney to obtain a title search and review the chain of title for the parcel.
Commissioners debated whether a title search had already been performed by the schools or their closing attorney; some members said a survey exists and closing counsel would have prepared a title opinion, while others said a forensic review of conveyances and recorded documents is necessary to understand precisely how ownership changed over time. Several commissioners asked for a full chain-of-title review and for the closing attorneyopinion or search to be presented to the board.
A motion to have the county attorney perform or obtain the title search and present the chain of title and explanation was made, seconded, and approved. Commissioners said the review is intended to explain how the county and school system reached the current position so that future mistakes can be avoided. The county attorney noted that title opinions typically cover recorded matters within a defined research period and that a separate chain-of-title report can be prepared by the closing attorney if requested.
The board also discussed that equipment and site work have already been placed on the property; several commissioners stressed the need for transparency and a written report explaining the sequence of conveyances.
