Thanks to the hard work of a lot of county staffers, almost $5,000 above and beyond the owed taxes was generated at this year’s annual county tax sale, County Treasurer Kevin Wondra reported to the Barton County Commission.
That money — exactly $4,761.83 — will be put into a fund and held for those whose property sold at costs above what was owed on it.
Wondra explained that $8,710 was taken in by the sale of 16 properties in the annual real estate auction.
The sale was conducted by County Commissioner Kenny Schremmer, who once again donated his services as the auctioneer, Wondra reported.
There were 18 tracts included in the sale, but two of them — vacant lots in Hoisington — had no bids.
Those will be held until the next year’s sale, unless their owners can be located between now and then and the back taxes collected.
In the meantime, however, 11 vacant lots, six residences located around the county, and a church building in Beaver, at back on the tax roles, hopefully with owners who will keep the taxes up.
There were 23 bidders who participated in the sale, Wondra added.
There were four properties that sold for more than was owed against them and that money will be held by the district court until it is claimed by the owners. County Administrator Richard Boeckman explained that at some point, that money will be turned over to the state treasurer who will continue efforts to find its owners.
The money does not come back to the county, the administrator explained.
Wondra noted that county staff members were crucial in the sale, from getting pictures of the property to getting the information on the county’s Internet site and more. “We have a lot of help” to get the successful sale, the treasurer said.
There were almost 300 properties in the delinquent tax system when work began on this process last February. It is through this process that the back taxes and fees are collected, Wondra explained.