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Commissioners press staff to prioritize long‑delayed Minnesota City tax‑forfeited property
Summary
Winona County commissioners pressed staff for a clearer timeline and greater prioritization to resolve a long‑delayed Minnesota City tax‑forfeited building, citing 13 years of delays, community concern, and the risk the structure will deteriorate beyond reuse.
Commissioners expressed frustration and urged county staff to move more quickly on the long‑pending Minnesota City tax‑forfeited property, saying residents of the small community have waited years for action and that further delay risks losing redevelopment opportunities.
Auditor‑Treasurer Wilbright told the board the county’s attorneys have returned a memo reviewing the process to sell tax‑forfeited land after the Tyler v. Henipin decision and subsequent legislative changes introduced additional steps for legacy parcels forfeited in earlier years. Wilbright said staff is reviewing attorney guidance and that record gaps and competing deadlines (tax calculation work and election‑related duties) have delayed progress.
Commissioner Elsing stressed the importance of the property to Minnesota City residents: "This is their big deal...they don't have the same collective pool of resources," Elsing said, urging the county to treat the parcel as a higher priority rather than bundling it with other properties for a later batch sale.
County Attorney Salman said his office prepared a memo (assistant county attorney Steve CR authored) outlining the process to sell current inventory of tax‑forfeited land, including the Minnesota City parcel, and committed to working with the administrator and auditor to move the matter forward. Staff emphasized competing workloads (tax statements, cyber‑attack recovery and other priorities) but pledged to escalate coordination.
The board did not take formal action but recorded consensus that staff should continue to prioritize the Minnesota City parcel and return with a clearer timetable and next steps.
What’s next: County staff will coordinate the memo's recommendations with the auditor and administrator to develop a timeline and report back to the board on next steps and resource needs to expedite the sale or redevelopment of the Minnesota City property.
