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Committee recommends moving to take possession of seven properties with matured liens under state law
Summary
Staff identified seven properties with matured tax liens for the city to consider taking possession under recent state law; most are vacant parcels and will be reviewed for personal property, reuse or resale with required 90-day notice to former owners.
The Bangor City Finance Committee recommended staff begin the statutory process to take possession of seven properties that have matured tax liens under a recent state law governing liened properties.
A staff team of Treasury, Finance, Community and Economic Development and Legal reviewed the city’s list of properties with matured liens. The committee was told the city currently has about 82 properties with mature liens; the first group recommended for action contains primarily vacant land and parcels not registered on the vacant-property list.
Staff said the process requires 90 days’ notice to the former owner before listing and that the city will determine whether to hold properties for city use or attempt resale. If a sale yields more than taxes and expenses due, excess proceeds would be returned to the former owner; if owners cannot be located, excess funds would be sent to the state abandoned-property process. Committee members asked clarifying questions about individual parcels, including a Smith Street parcel listed with an assessed value of $200 and a total owed of $230 — a maturity indicating at least three years of unpaid taxes for that parcel.
The committee moved and seconded staff’s recommendation to proceed; if approved by council next week, staff will start the legal possession process under state law.
