Property committee declines action on eroding Hunter property after legal-cost warning

The Marquette County Property Committee voted Nov. 4 to take no action on a long-delinquent parcel known as the Hunter property, after officials cautioned that legal costs and uncertain recovery made enforcement impractical.

The decision came during a presentation from Treasurer Jody Myers, who reported the county has not begun the tax deed process and the parcel is approaching its 11th year of delinquency. Conservationist Pat Kilbey said his team developed a temporary water mitigation plan to slow erosion on the site but cautioned the measure offered no guarantees.

Corp. Counsel Sean Griffin told the committee it could pursue a tax deed or assume the taxes but warned that civil action for unpaid taxes dating back about six years would likely generate attorney fees that exceed the amount recoverable from the property and that the owner would likely continue to default. Based on that advice, Mary Walters moved and Dave Benson seconded a motion "to take no action on the Hunter property." The motion carried.

The committee recorded that the prior year’s taxes on the parcel were $52. Outside options discussed included pursuing civil collection for several prior years, but Griffin said the net recovery would probably be negative once legal costs were included. The committee did not direct staff to pursue enforcement or to assume the taxes at the meeting.

The committee adjourned at 1:20 p.m.; no additional follow-up steps for the Hunter property were recorded in the minutes.