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Clerk outlines tightened tax‑deed timetable and resource needs to recover delinquent parcels
Summary
The county clerk briefed the committee on a tighter tax‑deed timeline under recent law changes, the administrative steps required to take parcels by tax deed, and the need for staff and ordinance updates; the clerk said about 73 owners remain on the delinquent list, many small‑value parcels will require triage, and brownfield/contamination issues complicate recovery.
The county clerk provided a detailed presentation on the tax-deed process and how statutory changes since 2023 have shortened timelines and increased administrative workload.
Key points: the clerk said the mandatory advertising window now begins a fixed number of days after a tax certificate is issued and that the county must complete many notice and publication steps within 180 days. Once a tax certificate issues, a property’s redemption period is two years; after those steps the clerk said the earliest the county could begin a tax-deed process for affected parcels would be September 1 of the earliest eligible year under the clerk’s schedule. The clerk also said some parcels are contaminated (brownfields) and will need special handling.
Numbers and staffing: the clerk reported roughly 73 delinquent owners on the current list with about 30 parcels under $1,000; the county holds multiple contaminated parcels including a former dry-cleaner site. Committee members and city staff said the county should consider adding a part‑time position to manage tax-deed work and coordinate appraisals, legal notices and DNR approvals for contaminated properties.
Why it matters: recovering tax parcels can return problematic properties to productive use and reduce long-term costs, but the process requires careful legal compliance, certified appraisals for higher-value parcels, and staff time. The clerk asked the committee to plan resources and ordinance updates for 2027.
