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Public commenter disputes wording in auction notice; county staff explain tax‑sale process
Summary
During public comment a resident said the newspaper notice on a tax‑auction parcel implied there were no back taxes or fees; county staff countered that the notice and statute disclose potential fees and that previously paid costs must be reimbursed before sale proceeds are released.
Public commenter Jack Crawford told the Rhea County Commission that a newspaper notice about a property tax sale appeared to state there were no back taxes, attorney fees or real‑estate commissions due on the parcel and asked the commission to clarify.
County staff and other speakers disagreed with Crawford’s reading. Staff explained the statutory notice process and noted the county may have paid delinquent taxes, attorney fees and other costs that must be reimbursed before a property sale is finalized. A staff member described how the statutory notice gives a window for higher bids and explained steps a successful higher bidder must follow.
Crawford said he wanted the commission to verify the notice language because potential bidders would not know the sums they were expected to pay; staff suggested Crawford’s attorney contact county staff to resolve the legal questions. The commission did not take formal action in response to the public comment during the workshop.
