County board OKs list for parcel sales

BESSEMER — The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners Wednesday agreed to place 12 foreclosed parcels up for sale, exerxising its right to the properties.

County treasurer Sue Pertile said people are interested in purchasing four of the lots. All 12 of the lots are vacant.

Five of the parcels are in Bessemer Township and seven are in Ironwood Township.

Pertile said the parcels are offered to neighboring landowners for the price of back taxes and recording fees.

“The county will only acquire and transfer to the Land Bank those parcels that the adjacent landowners will purchase, otherwise the foreclosed parcels will go through our tax (auction) sale,” Pertile said.

The state and townships waived their rights to purchase the foreclosed parcels.

When property is foreclosed, the state has the first option and the city or township has the second option to purchase.

The county then has the third option, prior to the tax sales.

The goal is to get the parcels back on the tax rolls, bringing in money.

Pertile said some parcels are purchased sight unseen at the tax sales and that can be a problem. The purchaser might find what he has bought isn’t what he was looking for when he placed the successful bid. An example given by commissioner George Peterson, of Watersmeet, is a Watersmeet lot that has had a trailer parked there for two years.

Commissioner Bob Orlich, of Wakefeld, said photos of the parcels are available at the tax auction sales.

Some of the parcels that will be up for sale now were bought three years ago at a tax sake and have become delinquent again.

Pertile said the list of the parcels approved by the county board on Wednesday does not include all of the foreclosed properties in the county, as some contain houses.