Geary County Commission accepts $1,000 negotiated offer for 125 East Elm

The Geary County Commission voted to accept a negotiated offer of $1,000 from the adjacent property owner, Dwayne Dyer, for a tax-foreclosed lot at 125 East Elm.

Counselor Edwards told the commission the county received Dyer’s offer and that the parcel (Lots 8910 Block 6, Clarks Plateau edition, Junction City) had earlier been offered in tax-foreclosure case 19 c B000215 and at a county bid sale on March 21, 2022, but received no eligible bids. "As this property is not sold, it is eligible for a negotiated sale under KSA 79 28 0 3 b," Counselor Edwards said.

The commission closed the public hearing and a commissioner moved to accept the offer; a colleague seconded and the motion carried by voice vote. Edwards and the chair noted the negotiated sale will still need confirmation by the court before the transfer is final.

Why it matters: Negotiated sales of tax-foreclosed parcels allow counties to transfer property that failed to sell at public auction, typically to adjacent owners; court confirmation is a required legal step before deed transfer. The commission publicly recorded the offer and the motion to accept during the hearing, providing a clear public record of the decision.

Details and next steps: The county recorded the original foreclosure and subsequent bid sale attempts in the public record; the commission’s acceptance authorizes staff to proceed with the negotiated sale process and submit required documents to the court for confirmation. The commission did not publish a roll-call tally during the voice vote on record; the minutes state only that the motion carried.

Provenance: The sale offer, legal description, prior sale attempts, statutory basis, public hearing and the motion to accept were discussed in the meeting’s public hearing segment. The commission noted the court confirmation requirement and closed the hearing.