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Council authorizes attorneys to negotiate over two East Main properties ahead of Sept. 17 tax sale
Summary
Legal counsel told the council two town liens on 1 and 3 East Main Street will be part of a county tax sale on Sept. 17; the council authorized attorneys to begin negotiations with the county and pursue options if the parcels do not sell, voting 5-0.
The Mooresville Town Council authorized town attorneys to begin negotiations with Morgan County and to pursue acquisition or settlement options for two parcels at 1 East Main Street and 3 East Main Street that carry town liens and are scheduled for a county tax sale on Sept. 17 at 10 a.m., the council voted 5-0.
Legal counsel told the council that the town holds liens on both properties following demolition of unsafe structures and that unpaid taxes and accruing interest and penalties led to the properties’ placement on the county tax-sale list. Counsel said the town’s assessments on the two parcels total about $117,000 for 1 East Main Street and $134,713.79 for 3 East Main Street and supplied minimum bid figures for the sale: $117,704.47 for 1 East Main and $136,000.17 for 3 East Main, according to the meeting record.
The town attorney explained statutory notice procedures to the council: “they do not have to notify you guys before a sale occurs. They would have to notify you guys before the transfer of the property actually occurred,” and added that “for assignment of the tax certificate, which would occur after the property did not sell at the tax sale, they do have a statutory obligation to notify you before that is assigned to anybody else.”
Council members discussed options if the properties do not sell at the tax auction. Counsel recommended starting conversations with the county now and said the town could ask for preference or negotiate to obtain the parcels. The attorney also said some timing questions — including the length and mechanics of any redemption period and whether penalties continue to accrue during redemption — needed confirmation and pledged to follow up.
Council then moved and passed a motion authorizing town attorneys to work with the county “to be as aggressive as we can on this property.” The vote was recorded 5-0.
The transcript indicates the town intends to open communications with the county before the sale and to seek an agreement if the properties remain unsold. The council did not specify how any purchase or agreement would be financed or any subsequent disposition plans for the parcels.
