Minutes 01-21-2025-Business Meeting

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6 Regarding item 8-k, Commissioner Portie-Ascott said she wanted the public to hear the Board discuss when real property is going to be sold. She asked what the market value is of the property that is recommended for sale. She asked for more information on the process for selling county property and if there was discussion with the owners of the other neighboring properties. Nancy Freeman, Tax Administrator, said due to the fact that it is not a buildable lot, and the shape is like a buffer lot due to the road behind it, a suitable value is between $4,000 and $8,000 dollars. She said the new value would be $8,400 for 2025. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if the value was determined by a licensed appraiser. Nancy Freeman said it was determined by a certified appraiser in her office. She said there was not a separate appraisal done. Alan Dorman, Asset Management Services Director said they also did not perform an outside appraisal. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if Nancy Freeman had the comps available. Nancy Freeman said that she is more than happy to get that to the Board at a later time, but she did not have it with her tonight. Alan Dorman said since 2022 they have sold four properties like this in the same way. He said it is a small street stub out and usually a neighbor finds it and asks if the county will sell it. He said they pass it around and ask departments if there is an objection to selling it. If not, they would go back and say if there is an offer made, then they can take it to the Board and that would be the next step. He said the upset bid process is the best way they have found to go about this process. He said that it gets advertised and there are ten days allowed for someone to beat the bid. He said that the process can continue until no one beats the current offer. He said that the amount is then brought back to the Board, and they approve the bid and then send it to the attorney's office for processing. He said that this is the typical process. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked which newspaper the upset bid is advertised in. Alan Dorman said it is advertised in the Durham Herald-Sun. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if it is also advertised on the county's website. Alan Dorman said he does not believe it is, but it could be. Commissioner McKee asked if going through that process establishes market value. Alan Dorman said yes, and they do not have a lot of market value. He gave the example of 129 E. King Street, and they got that one appraised because of the higher value. He said they went into a competitive process after the appraisal, and they sold it for$400,000 when it had been appraised at $169,000. He said it is a bid process and it establishes market value. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked who determined that it is not a buildable lot. Alan Dorman said they worked with the Tax Department and the Planning Department determined they were not buildable. He said the Planning Department reviewed county-owned land for affordable housing opportunities a few years back and those were set aside. He said the other lots, like this one, are properties that are sitting on the county's books. Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if water and sewer are connected to the property. Alan Dorman said he would find out. Chair Bedford asked if adjacent neighbors should have been notified of the sale of the property. John Roberts said it is not legally required to do so, but it is allowed to add notification to the process. Chair Bedford said she would like the County Manager to consider adding that to the process in the petition. Commissioner Portie-Ascott said in the strategic plan survey, one of the issues the community had was communication from the county. She said she wanted to make sure the county was transparent. She asked for this discussion to be as transparent as possible. She asked that it also be added to the website. Alan Dorman said he could do that.