Lakeville treasurer reports tax‑title backlog, plans auctions as foreclosure process advances
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Summary
The town treasurer/collector told the Select Board the office is working through a backlog of tax‑title properties that began before 2019; two parcels are nearing auction and the town is pursuing payment plans and outreach to recover delinquent taxes.
The Town of Lakeville treasurer/collector told the Select Board on April 15 that the office has been working through a backlog of tax‑title properties created over the last decade and that two parcels will be brought to auction within the next month or two.
The treasurer/collector said salaries for the office increased in the FY26 request because of contractual obligations and that line‑item increases include tax‑title legal fees and postage. “Tax title went up 2,000 and the postage,” the treasurer/collector said, noting the office is trying to “chip away” at parcels as the land‑court process unfolds.
Board members asked whether the town had recouped fees through auctions and when foreclosed properties previously were sold; the treasurer/collector said auctions have not been held since she took office but that two parcels will be prepared for sale shortly. She described the multi‑year backlog: “Back in 2018 and 2019, it was the first time in 10 years that anyone had touched them. And then it takes about 5 years to go through the land court process. So that's where we are now.”
The board discussed the effect of a statutory change in the rate assessed on tax titles. The treasurer/collector said the annual percentage allowed on certain delinquent sums changed from 16% to 8% effective Nov. 1, 2024, and that the new lower rate applies to tax titles initiated after that date. “The new ones that go into tax bridal, those will be new at the 8%,” she said, adding that amounts entered prior to the cutoff remain at the prior rate.
On revenue expectations, the treasurer/collector said proceeds from any auction go to the general fund. She also noted that the office is encouraging payment plans and early outreach so that residents can avoid escalation to tax title. “Some money coming into the town is better than no money,” she said, and noted several recent payoffs since she began in office.
Why this matters: foreclosed properties and tax‑title collections can provide occasional one‑time revenue to support town operations or capital needs, and the treasurer’s work to clear the backlog could affect FY26 available funds. The Select Board and finance committee asked for a list of trust and tax‑title balances and for follow‑up on auction timing before town meeting.
