Minimum bid increases for county tax sale
Staff reporter
Marion County Commission decided Monday to have a minimum bid of $180 per parcel for the county's tax foreclosure sale May 25.
Previously the minimum bid was $50. By increasing the bid, the county will recoup court costs associated with the sale. The commission was told the previous week by county attorney Susan Robson that property owners with delinquent property taxes will not be allowed to bid on other properties in the sale.
In other business:
— Discussion and decisions related to the retail sales and discharge of fireworks in the county were tabled until next week's meeting.
Commissioner Randy Dallke had asked the commission to consider changing county resolutions to allow retail sales of fireworks and the discharge of fireworks by owners on their properties.
— A jail contractor/consultant will be on the agenda for the May 31 meeting to present information about jail options.
— A public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 19 in the courtroom to discuss the 2007 county budget.
— Ricky Roberts, county extension agent, told the commission that two trees on the west lawn did not need to be removed. County clerk Carol Maggard had a tree service company look at the trees that determined the trees were hollow and needed to be removed.
Roberts said part of the trees looked hollow but basically were healthy.
Two trees were planted several years ago between the older trees and were not getting adequate sunlight, said Roberts. He suggested one smaller tree be transplanted to another location on the property and a larger tree be trimmed to allow sunlight for the younger tree.
Trimming of the trees will be done to remove hazards from overhead electrical lines.
Maggard will request bids from tree services.
— The commission approved a bid of $1,395 from Great Plains Computer & Networking of Marion for a laptop computer for the sheriff's department that will be used for PowerPoint presentations.
— Photographs of untagged vehicles parked in the county's right-of-way near a road were viewed by the commission. Sheriff Lee Becker suggested the county mark the right-of-way which would enable the sheriff's department to require the vehicles be removed. Becker also will check salvage license of the individual.
— The location of a generator near the county jail was discussed with the possibility of it being moved to reduce expense of moving telephone equipment.
The generator has been ordered and will be delivered in July.
— Michele Abbott-Becker, county communications and emergency preparedness director, reported she had met with Red Cross volunteers regarding the use of the county lake hall as an emergency shelter. A storage room could be used to store cots.
— Emergency call statistics for April and part of May were distributed by Abbott-Becker. During April there were 3,798 total calls to and from the dispatch center. Of those calls, 832 were 911 calls.
— Abbott-Becker requested and received a five-minute executive session to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— Maggard reported the commission had received one application for the planning, zoning, sanitarian position. Two others had requested applications.
The next commission meeting is at 9 a.m. Monday in the courthouse.
