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Linn County commissioners approve 1-year RFP for 9310 Thomas Road farm lease, discuss airport taxes and lighting
Summary
The board authorized a one-year request for proposals for farm ground at 9310 Thomas Road and reviewed county land-lease tax exposure, airport lighting problems and options to limit taxable acreage.
The Linn County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday authorized staff to publish a one-year request for proposals for county-owned farm ground at 9310 Thomas Road and discussed broader concerns about county land leases, tax liability and airport upkeep.
Commissioners voted to issue the RFP after an update on airport property and other county land leases. A county presenter said of the airport lighting: “out of 40 lights, we only have 9 that are currently working, 7 with no antenna,” and that vendors suspect failing batteries or antenna issues. The presenter said further troubleshooting and pricing will occur once weather permits.
Why it matters: Commissioners said several county-owned properties are being taxed because the county leases them; that taxation can exceed lease revenue. County staff provided a spreadsheet compiled from appraiser and tax office records showing total taxes of about $48,000 on leased parcels, with roughly $38,000 of that tied to airport property. Commissioners discussed options to reduce taxes, including surveying and carving out only leased acreage for taxation and converting some parcels from commercial to agricultural classification where appropriate.
Supporting details: The presenter asked permission to publish an RFP for 40.52 acres at 9310 Thomas Road on a one-year lease so the county can align lease schedules across properties. He also distributed a land-lease report showing annual receipts and taxes for each parcel and noted that, because the county currently leases some parcels, the county must pay taxes on them rather than claiming tax-exempt public use. The presenter said: “if we do not lease that out, we would not pay taxes on that,” and recommended further research with the appraiser’s office.
Multiple commissioners pressed staff to clarify which portions of large parcels are actually leased. The presenter pointed out one contract that referenced acreage the county does not own and urged more precise legal descriptions in future leases. He recommended surveying parcels so taxes apply only to the portion actually leased out.
The board approved the RFP motion without recorded opposition. Commissioners asked staff to return with cost estimates for airport light repairs and with follow-up work on the leasing/tax questions, including whether changing land use or removing leases would alter tax liability.
The meeting record shows the RFP motion as: “move forward with the RFP on the farm ground at 9310 Thomas Road for 1 year.” The board moved and seconded the motion and recorded a series of “ayes.”
Next steps: Staff will troubleshoot airport lights when weather allows, get vendor pricing, and pursue follow-up with the appraiser’s office and legal counsel about surveying, parcel descriptions and tax exposure before further lease action.
