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County directs tax counsel to begin judicial tax-lien foreclosure process for remaining delinquent parcels
Summary
By motion the board authorized tax counsel to initiate judicial tax-lien foreclosure proceedings for remaining delinquent parcels once statutory redemption deadlines pass; counsel said the county recovered about $370,000 through earlier notifications and expects some redemptions before filings.
The Leavenworth County Board of County Commissioners approved Board Order 2025-6 directing county tax counsel to initiate judicial tax-lien foreclosure proceedings for parcels that have passed statutory redemption periods.
County tax counsel briefed the board on the statutory process and timing. Counsel said the county typically starts notifications in November to locate owners and give notice prior to escalation. “I brought in about $370,000 in unpaid delinquent taxes having been paid since I started this process in November of last year,” counsel told the board, referring to redemptions prompted by earlier notices. Counsel said he still expected roughly 40 parcels to remain and anticipated filing litigation toward the end of the month unless additional redemptions occurred.
Counsel explained that Kansas uses a statute-driven process in which the county treasurer publishes a notice in September that triggers a three-year redemption window; foreclosure actions are appropriate only after that statutory period expires. The counsel emphasized the county’s efforts to locate owners, the time-consuming research sometimes required for commercial entities, and the goal of giving delinquent owners opportunities to redeem to avoid displacement.
Commissioners asked about who holds liens (the treasurer in Kansas, not private investors) and about the social effects of tax foreclosures; counsel reiterated the lengthy statutory timeline is intended to allow owners time to redeem. The board voted to authorize counsel to proceed with judicial foreclosure filings where appropriate.
The board’s motion authorizes filings for parcels meeting legal thresholds; staff and counsel will continue outreach to owners before any sale or final court action.
