Kenosha County to pilot subsequent sealed-bid auctions with no minimum for unsold tax-deed properties

Kenosha County will change how it disposes of unsold tax-deed properties: the county clerk proposed a subsequent sealed‑bid auction with no minimum bid for properties that fail to sell at the initial appraisal-based auction, and the finance committee approved the change.

County Clerk Reggie Wiggora told the committee the new step lets the county test market interest at lower price points and recover county fees, taxes and specials more quickly, returning properties to the tax roll rather than holding them for months. The proposed process would open a three-week sealed-bid window; staff would present the bids to finance showing the county’s owed amount, and the committee would decide whether a low bid still covered county costs.

Wiggora gave examples of candidate properties in Twin Lakes, Pleasant Prairie and Wheatland where appraised minimums had deterred buyers. Supervisors emphasized that any sale from the subsequent no‑minimum auction would still require finance committee approval to ensure costs are covered. “If it doesn’t cover our cost, we are able to say no,” Wiggora said.

Supervisor Nudo moved and Supervisor Kirby seconded the motion to adopt the subsequent sealed-bid auction process; the committee voted unanimously to approve the procedural change. Staff said the county would implement the process for properties that fail to sell at the initial auction and would likely run two subsequent auctions yearly to avoid an accumulation of unsold parcels.