Van Buren supervisors accept $2,150 high bid to sell Bentonsport parcel

The Van Buren County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 accepted the $2,150 high sealed bid from James Yoder of Keosauqua for Parcel #000560735462100 in Bentonsport, following a public hearing in which no comments were received.

Chairman Dale House called the hearing to order at 9:05 a.m.; the board closed the hearing at 9:10 a.m. on a motion by Supervisor Meek, seconded by Supervisor Richards, and then opened the two sealed bids received by the auditor's office. The board approved taking the high bid of $2,150 and passed Resolution #08-12-2024A by roll call (House—Aye; Meek—Aye; Richards—Aye).

The resolution cites Iowa Code Section 331.361 as the authority to dispose of county real property and recites the parcel's legal description and chain of title, noting acquisition by quitclaim deed recorded in 1982 from the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company. The resolution text in the minutes contains inconsistent acreage statements: the board notice and earlier recital refer to a 1.15-acre description, while the resolution language later states "containing 2.14 acres, more or less." The minutes do not resolve that discrepancy; acreage is therefore not specified with certainty in the record.

The action was recorded in the minutes as Motion by Meek, second by Richards; Ayes: 3. No public comment was recorded at the hearing and no conditions or contingencies were recorded in the board motion.

Next steps listed in the minutes are to proceed according to the terms stated in Resolution #07-22-2024A and this adopted Resolution #08-12-2024A; the minutes do not specify a date for conveyance or closing.

The board meeting continued with unrelated agenda items after the sale was approved.