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Council reviews bids for tax-acquired vacant lots, moves sales to May 18 vote
Summary
Assistant City Manager Lori Phelps reported two recent offers on city-owned vacant lots: $500 for 1406 Alice Street (Priscilla Waller) and $350 for 1507 Thomas Street (Nick Saffel). Council questioned low sale prices and advertising practices; staff said most lots were picked up after multiple years of unpaid taxes and the goal is to return parcels to the tax rolls. The council moved the item to the May 18 voting session.
Assistant City Manager Lori Phelps told the council the city recently received two offers on tax-acquired vacant parcels and recommended placing the offers on the May 18 voting agenda.
Phelps said one offer came from Priscilla Waller for $500 on 1406 Alice Street and another from Nick Saffel for $350 for 1507 Thomas Street. She noted those are marginal lots the city acquired at county tax sale after multiple years of unpaid taxes.
Council members questioned why city lots in town were bringing only a few hundred dollars when county lots were selling for tens of thousands of dollars, asked about advertising and whether liens or demolitions affected price, and requested a full list of the city’s tax-acquired properties. Staff said properties are advertised in the paper, on the city website, and on Facebook and that many parcels were purchased by the city after a multi-year tax-default process.
After discussion, a council member moved to place the bids on the May 18 voting session; the motion was seconded and carried.
No sale was finalized at the meeting; the council will consider the bids and any additional conditions at the scheduled May 18 vote.
