Discovery causes Polk to do inventory of properties

TRYON – Polk County recently discovered it owned three contiguous properties on Pine Street in Tryon that has no use for governmental purposes.

 

Polk commissioners met Monday, Sept. 18 and approved a resolution authorizing the sale of the properties by an electronic auction.

 

The county will put the properties for sale by auction on govdeals.com.

 

County attorney Jana Berg said the county discovered recently it has the parcels in Tryon in its inventory that the county doesn’t need. The properties are approximately ¼ acre each.

 

They were acquired approximately 10 years ago through a tax foreclosure where an auction was held on the courthouse steps and no one purchased them.

 

Berg said it would be positive for both the county and the Town of Tryon to get the properties back on the tax rolls and hopefully the properties can be purchased together to develop.

 

“We don’t collect taxes for them and neither does Tryon,” Berg said.

 

County manager Marche Pittman said by doing the auction online, the ad will reach people nationwide.

 

Pittman also said the county’s intention is to do a complete inventory to see what other properties the county owns and has no use.

 

Pittman said he doesn’t know that an inventory has ever been done, at least not since he’s worked for the county.

 

“It’s a good exercise for us to see what could potentially be (declared surplus),” Pittman said.

 

Pittman said the county will set a minimum bid on the auction to at least cover the taxes owed on the properties.

 

Following is the resolution the county approved declaring the properties as surplus in order to be sold:

 

WHEREAS, G.S. 160A-270 allows the Polk County Board of Commissioners to sell real property at public auction upon adoption of a resolution authorizing the approval officer to dispose of property at public auction; and

WHEREAS, the following property is not needed for any governmental use by Polk County: Polk County parcels T7-A45; T7-A49 and T7-A50 located on Pine Street, Tryon, NC; and

WHEREAS, it is the intent of the county to sell the described parcels of land as is, and any offer or bid must be confirmed by the commissioners before the sale will be effective; and

WHEREAS, the Polk County Board of Commissioners authorize the county manager to sell the property herein described by electronic auction at www.govdeals.com; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Polk County Board of Commissioners do hereby declare said property as surplus, and authorizes the county manager to sell said property at electronic public auction, and the commissioners shall accept or reject the highest bid within thirty (30) days thereafter.