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Cass County director reports 351 parcels set for tax sale, totaling about $1.47 million
Summary
Cass County Director of Revenue Chris Molenbrook told the commission that 367 certified notices were mailed for the annual tax-sale process; after 16 taxpayers paid, 351 parcels remain, representing $1,469,835.38 in unpaid taxes, penalties and interest. The department plans yard signs, digital photos and targeted outreach.
Chris Molenbrook, Cass County Director of Revenue, updated the commission on the county’s annual tax-sale process on June 4.
Molenbrook said the county sent 367 certified notices over the Memorial Day weekend. Sixteen taxpayers paid after receiving notices, leaving 351 parcels subject to the tax-sale process, he said. Those 351 parcels represent $1,469,835.38 in combined back taxes, interest and penalties, which averages to about $4,187 per parcel, according to Molenbrook.
The director described a process to place a large sign on properties with unpaid parcels, digitally photograph the sign, upload the photo with a timestamp and pin the property on a map to document notice before publication. He said staff will begin outreach in a few weeks, including phone calls, emails and some home visits, focusing first on larger landowners.
“We sent 367 of those, ... Since then, we've had 16 taxpayers pay. And so we're at 351 parcels,” Molenbrook said. He described the parcel total and the combined dollar amount during his presentation.
Molenbrook told the commission the current total is smaller than some recent years — he cited higher counts earlier in the year and noted federal tax changes have affected some taxpayers’ ability to use refunds to pay property taxes — and that staff will continue to attempt contact before moving forward with the published tax-sale steps.
A member of the public who identified himself as affiliated with the police department thanked the commission for a prior action; no one spoke against the tax-sale process.
