Bourbon County is set for a tax sale on October 13, 2022 at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Bourbon County Courthouse at 210 S National Avenue, Fort Scott, Kansas.
“The purpose of the tax sales is to get the properties into the hands of taxpayers that will pay the (property) taxes,” Bourbon County Treasurer Patty Love, said.
“There are a total of 68 properties on the list at this time,” she said.
There is a process to hold the tax sale.
“The Bourbon County Counselor, Justin Meeks, files the tax sale in court, Love said “Justin works with the County Appraiser, Matt Quick, to provide the maps and pictures the day of the tax sale to show property for sale. The treasurer collects the revenue from the tax sale and applies it to the property taxes. The Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge’s office, will type the new deeds.”
“At the prior tax sale held in January 2022, there were 50 properties that sold for a total of $129,408.40,” Love said. “The 14 properties that didn’t sell were properties inside the city of Fort Scott that had a minimum bid which was a total of the Special Assessment levied against the property by the City for mowing and demolition. Those properties that didn’t sell have now been transferred to the Fort Scott City Land Bank.”
The following is a description of the Fort Scott Land Bank from a prior news release:
“The Fort Scott Land Bank focuses on the conversion of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties into productive use.
Vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties are often grouped together as “problem properties” because they destabilize neighborhoods, create fire and safety hazards, drive down property values, and drain local tax dollars.
The Fort Scott Land Bank was created to strategically
acquire problem properties, eliminate the liabilities, and transfer the properties to new, responsible owners in a transparent manner that results in outcomes consistent with community-based plans.
These opportunities are a collection of parcels owned by the Fort Scott Land Bank.
Every transfer of property from the Fort Scott Land Bank will be accompanied by a development agreement, outlining the final use of the property as well as accompanying timelines. The purchase price
for Land Bank properties will be negotiated based on the cost to acquire the property as well as the details in the development agreement. The Fort Scott Land Bank Board of Trustees will approve the final agreement and purchase offer.”
“The money from the Land Bank is distributed to the various taxing entities at the time of the next distribution,” she said. “County Distributions take place in January, March, June, September and October.”
Here is a list of the properties and their owners that will be sold at the tax sale:
More info can also be obtained on the Bourbon County Facebook page, or by contacting the Bourbon County Treasurers Office, 620.223.3800.