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Polk County board approves up to $25,000 engineering study to evaluate demolition or sale of dilapidated Erskine building
Summary
Commissioners authorized a not‑to‑exceed $25,000 engineering and demolition study to determine options for a tax‑forfeited, structurally compromised building in downtown Erskine. The board discussed auction versus county‑led demolition and noted state rules may claim up to 75% of auction proceeds during the settlement period.
Polk County commissioners voted to commission an engineering demo study — not to exceed $25,000 — to determine whether to demolish or otherwise dispose of a tax‑forfeited building in downtown Erskine that shares common walls with adjacent structures.
Commissioners debated options Thursday: sell the property at public auction as‑is (but 75% of auction proceeds may be redirected to the state during the current settlement period for forfeitures), require a buyer to demolish the structure, or have the county pay for demolition and retain the cleared lot for redevelopment. Several members warned that requiring demolition as a contingency could prompt buyers to forfeit again and return the county to the same problem in a few years.
Speaker 5 summarized the proposal as an engineering demo study with an initial cost of $25,000 to determine structural risks and demolition costs. The board moved and approved the funding authorization by voice vote.
"Because of the timing of when this forfeited, there's only the option of public sale... 75% of the proceeds ... have to go to the state," a staff member explained, underscoring the county's limited options and the need for technical analysis before committing to demolition spending.
The engineering study will produce findings that the county attorney can use to determine whether sale terms (for example, requiring demolition) are enforceable and whether county demolition is financially preferable. The board directed staff to return with the study's findings and recommendations at a future meeting.
