A little piece of Mapleton soil is set to go dirt cheap.
After a tax sale on the property two years ago failed to attract a bid meeting a pre-set minimum, the issue remained on the township’s books.
On Aug. 15, 2012 a sale by public tender was held on the property at Part Lot 18, Concession 12, Maryborough. The minimum tender amount was advertised as $5,077. The only bid received was rejected as it did not meet the minimum. The 1.29 acre property is land locked and not accessible by a public road.
At the June 24 council meeting, deputy treasurer/tax collector Teresa Armstrong explained the municipality had two options: either vest the property into the township’s name and write-off taxes or write-off the taxes and leave the property with the current owner. She suggested the township vest the property and then offer it to the lone bidder, an adjacent landowner, at the $3,000 price submitted at the time of the 2012 tax sale.
She noted the township will need to declare the land surplus to the needs of the municipality as set out in the Township’s Disposal of Surplus Lands policy before proceeding with the sale.
“This is the first time we’ve ever had one that was not a successful tax sale,” she noted.
