[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Price County 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 10-89; amended 6-20-1995 and 2-21-2006 by Res. No. 8-06. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Determination is hereby made that for the purpose of administration, development and sale, all lands owned by Price County acquired through tax deed and tax foreclosure, and lying outside of the boundaries of County forests as prescribed by an ordinance titled "Price County Forestry Ordinance," an act of December 11, 1943, and any subsequent amendments enacted by the Price County Board,[1] shall be subject to the administrative procedures established in this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 398, Parks and Forests.
The Land Use and UW Extension Committee of the County Board, as designated on April 19, 1989, to administer this chapter, is the Committee hereinafter referred to. The Committee shall have the authority and it shall be the duty of the Committee to:
A. 
Determine the fair market value of any land before it is sold by Price County.
(1) 
The Committee may designate field personnel to appraise the value of property to be sold, taking into consideration such things as:
(a) 
Timber sales.
(b) 
Public access and availability to utilities.
(c) 
Suitability for building sites.
(d) 
Drainage classes: high, intermediate and low.
(e) 
Any special circumstances that may enhance or detract from the property value.
(2) 
The Committee may contact independent appraisers for the purposes of establishing fair market values for properties to be sold.
(3) 
Any appraisals of field personnel and appraisers shall be approved by the Committee prior to listing the property for sale. The Committee may view (or send a representative to view) any or all properties prior to the Committee accepting any appraisal.
B. 
Establish a budget for operational expenses from County general funds.
C. 
Allow for the sale of timber off properties outside of the County forest management units if the Committee agrees that it is in the best interest of Price County.
D. 
Approve the sales of properties once such lands have been advertised using a Class 3 notice pursuant to Ch. 985, Wis. Stats. Such sales shall be compliant with the provisions of § 75.69, Wis. Stats.
(1) 
The Committee may accept the most advantageous bid.
[Amended 8-18-2009 by Res. No. 41-09]
(2) 
Once the Committee has accepted the bid most advantageous to the County, a quitclaim deed shall be executed by the County Clerk to the bidder.
(3) 
The Committee is authorized to sell any property previously advertised for an amount equal to or above the advertised value without readvertising. Parties interested in previously advertised properties may buy them, for a period of up to 90 days after the bid opening, by contacting the County Clerk and thereafter by approval of the Committee.
[Amended 8-18-2009 by Res. No. 41-09]
(4) 
Persons interested in submitting written bids for available parcels must complete a bid form available from the County Zoning Office. An amount equal to 10% of the bid price must be submitted with the bid application to the Zoning Office. Checks and money orders shall be made out to the Price County Treasurer. All unsuccessful bidders will receive their deposits back after the date of bid opening.
(5) 
Successful bidders must make arrangements for payment within 45 days after they receive notification that their bid was accepted. If the successful bidder fails to make arrangements for payment 45 days after notification he will forfeit his deposit and the property shall be made available to previous bidders again.
(6) 
This section shall not apply to the exchange of property or the withdrawal or sale of County forest lands or the sale or exchange of land to or between municipalities or to the state. Such exchanges shall be subject to the approval of the County Board.
(7) 
No tax-delinquent real estate shall be sold by the Committee under this section without first notifying the clerk of the municipality in which the sale is to take place at least three weeks prior to the publication of the first legal notice.
(8) 
Property taken by tax deed shall not be sold for one year after taking to accommodate the potential for recovery by the previous owner(s) [see Subsection D(9)]. The Committee may sell immediately after advertising, according to this Subsection D, any parcel taken by tax foreclosure procedures as prescribed by § 75.19, Wis. Stats.
(9) 
The Committee shall give the former owner or his heir, who lost the deed through delinquent tax enforcement procedures, a preference in the right to purchase such lands in the following manner and subject to the general guidelines set forth herein:
(a) 
Prior to a third party sale, a former owner, his heirs, or the estate shall be notified of his, their or its right to reclaim property. Such parties shall have a thirty-day response period. If they fail to respond within 30 days, the third party sale may take place. This applies only to homestead property as defined by the statutes.
(b) 
The former owner shall have the right to buy back his nonhomestead property at the greater of the appraised value or total back taxes, interest, penalties and legal fees during the total three-year waiting period that applies to all other purchasers.
(c) 
Sales of properties to a former owner, his heirs or the estate shall be exempt from all provisions of § 75.69, Wis. Stats.
(10) 
All revenues from the sales of lands as conducted by the Committee shall be deposited in the County general fund.
Easement requests across County-owned property (other than County forest land) will be considered by the Committee on a case-by-case basis. All purchasers of tax-deeded properties are responsible for access easements to landlocked properties.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).