Land purchased by Oconto County in 1999 for a law enforcement center in Little River will be sold through a tax deed sale.
The Law Enforcement/Judiciary Committee on Wednesday set the starting bid at $32,000 for the 14.6-acre parcel on County Road S, located about one mile from the courthouse. The county purchased the parcel for $30,953.
The County Board in October decided to sell the land after rejecting the Little River site and agreeing to build a law enforcement center on the block north of the courthouse.
Mark Teuteberg, head of the Land Information Department, said seven recent sales in Little River showed land at $2,185 per acre, setting the value of the 14-acre parcel at $31,901.
“I think it’s worth more, but if that’s going to be our minimum, it might also go higher if you get a couple of bids,” committee member Paul Bednarik said.
Bednarik said he would like taxpayers to recoup more than the original $31,000 paid for the land, to receive a higher return on their investment.
Teuteberg said the land would likely sell for higher than the starting bid, but agreed with the committee’s conservative approach. Land sales generate more interest when the price is low, not high, he said.
Soil analysis and other studies performed at the site might make the land more appealing, he added.
“You can use that as a plus for someone looking at developing it,” he said.
The tax deed sale will also include properties the county acquired due to delinquent taxes in 2009. County property is not typically included in tax deed sales, but Teuteberg said the sale will provide a fair and equitable way for the county to advertise the property.
The sale is scheduled to begin in late June or early July when property descriptions will be released on the county’s website. Sealed bids will be opened on Oct. 24.
The County Board will have final approval regarding the sale.
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