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City manager explains county-led tax-foreclosure process as council probes long-standing unpaid taxes
Summary
Council questioned when and how delinquent property taxes escalate to foreclosure; city staff said Richmond County manages tax‑foreclosure collections and may file lawsuits naming the city, with timelines varying by case; council asked staff to prepare background and consider closed-session review of hardship cases.
During the city manager’s report, council members raised questions about persistent unpaid property taxes and what recourse the city has. Staff explained Richmond County contracts for tax-foreclosure collection and initiates lawsuits to recover unpaid taxes; those county actions commonly name the city because of shared tax interests. The timeline for county action varies widely depending on case circumstances such as heirs’ property or other procedural factors.
Council members asked when the city should initiate its own action and whether routine small delinquent balances are referred to legal collection. Staff said the city receives proceeds in some cases when the county sale resolves delinquency but that the county largely controls the timing and mechanics of foreclosure suits. A council member raised an example from the packet about a long-outstanding account described in the meeting as roughly $7,700 (the transcript figure is ambiguous); staff advised that individual cases and policy questions could be discussed in closed session and suggested council consult county commissioners if they want changes to county collection policy.
Council did not adopt a new local foreclosure policy at the meeting but directed staff to assemble more information and, if requested, discuss particular cases in closed session.
