County sets minimum bid on property near Lind

The Adams County Board of Commissioners has set a minimum bid of $10,000 for a county tax title property near Lind.

The property, which has a Lind address but is outside of the town limits, is located at 125 E. Presnell Road.

A public hearing was held on the matter after Richard Parker Sr. sent County Treasurer Kayla Meise an offer to purchase the property for $10,000. Meise told the commissioners that they had to set a minimum bid price in order for her to move forward.

Some discussion was had between the commissioners regarding the price, as at one point the property was valued appreciably higher than the $10,000.

“I talked with [Adams County Assessor] Sherri [Brewer] a couple of weeks ago, and she had her people go out and assess the value of the property,” Meise told the board. “She believes the value to be at $33,500.”

John Marshall said the board would like to sell the property.

“It is our desire to get that off the foreclosure roll and get it back on the tax roll,” Marshall said. “We see value in that … We want to get it back producing tax dollars.”

Adams County Prosecutor Randy Flyckt, who was also present at the meeting, reminded the board that the county only took ownership of the property when no one bid on it after it went into foreclosure.

“No one bid on it for the $5,000 and some odd dollars two years ago.” Flyckt said.

He also suggested to the board that it wasn’t being asked to approve the sale just yet.

“Keep in mind that you are not accepting an offer at this point,” Flyckt said. “You are just setting a minimum bid. It will then be open to a public auction again.”

Setting the minimum bid does not prevent the county from selling the property to a higher bidder, should one emerge.

The auction will take place Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside the treasurer’s office on the second floor of the Adams County Court House in Ritzville.