The city of Poplar Bluff may purchase between 30-35 lots that have been put up for sale by Butler County for overdue property taxes.
City manager Matt Winters made the proposal during Monday’s city council meeting. It will be voted on at the June 21 council meeting.
The city would then remove existing liens and sell the lots for development, according to the discussion.
Many of the lots have city liens for costs to clean up derelict property, including for the removal by the street department of houses in disrepair or mowing services.
Winters said he and Butler County Collector Emily Parks feel the city’s liens have deterred private individuals from purchasing the lots.
“There are some of these that are buildable that could be marketable to someone,” Winters said.
The city is mowing the majority of the lots currently, either through workers with the street department or a contracted mowing service.
“We’re not collecting any city tax, any property tax, so we’re losing out twice on these properties,” he said. “I think (this would) make an effort to get these properties into the hands of private owners that are going to maintain their property. They’re going to pay property taxes. They’re going to improve the neighborhood. It could really benefit some of these neighborhoods.”
Winters said this would be the start of a process the city would utilize as it continues to move forward with tearing down derelict houses.
“We’re not going to sell these lots for $10,000,” he said. “I bet we sell them for the minimum bid and get them back on the tax rolls...”
Council member Chris Taylor asked about the cost to purchase the properties.
Because the properties the city is looking at have been through the tax sales multiple times with no purchasers, they will be available for a cost of $1 and the recording fees, Winters said.