Agenda 03-05-2026; 8-a - Minutes for February 3, 2026 Business Meeting and February 10, 2026 Work Session

Browse Search

22 1 Alan Dorman said typically when county property is sold, it's because someone 2 approaches the county with an interest in purchasing. He said Asset Management Services(AMS) 3 then checks with county departments that may have an interest in the property. If there are no 4 objections, they ask the interested party to make an offer, and after negotiations, they submit a 5 cashier's check to the Finance Department. He presented a spreadsheet showing that since 2022, 6 the county had sold only six properties, mostly small parcels to adjacent property owners. The 7 exception was 129 East King Street in Hillsborough, which sold for $400,000 after two parties 8 competed, far exceeding the $160,000 appraisal. He said in his experience, these parcels have 9 not been valuable to anyone besides the adjacent property owners for a variety of reasons. 10 Recent Property Sales Date of Sale Parcel Size Price Reason 9/6/2022 9779088613 0.12 $500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to purchase for instead of getting an easement 11/1/2022 9885833971 0.27 $4,000.00 Adjacent property owner wanted secondary access to his property 12/5/2022 129 E. King Street 0.24 $400,111.00 Sale of the old Public Defender's building was bid up substantially by two different parties 6/6/2023 900832203 0.45 $1,500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to gain access to a landlocked property. 11/7/2024 9863668236 0.2 $5,000.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to expand their lot 5/6/2025 9862246076 0.26 $4,500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to expand their lot 11 Commissioner Portie-Ascott suggested that it isn't possible to know what is valuable 12 unless it has been put on the market. She said it is easy if you are not in the business of selling 13 real property to look at something tiny and think that's not of any real value, but asked why not 14 have a real process. 15 Alan Dorman said he received quotes for appraisals for the two properties on the agenda 16 this evening at a price of $1,500 each. He suggested the county could move forward with these 17 quotes and add the price to the buyer's fees. 18 Commissioner Carter said this is another important policy discussion and ask Asset 19 Management to document a process for county property and how it is brought forward to market. 20 Commissioner Greene said the upset bid process is one way of getting other buyers to 21 the table. 22 Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if this is the only way that counties can sell property. 23 John Roberts said there are statutory limits on how counties can sell property. He 24 explained the statutory limitations on property sales, listing the acceptable methods: 25 advertisement for sealed bids, negotiated offer with upset bid process, public auction, exchange, 26 and private sale to a nonprofit for public purpose. 27 She asked if the county was not allowed to advertise properties that are for sale publicly. 28 John Roberts said the Board could have a list of county properties that are for sale, but 29 the actual sale must be in accordance with state law. 30 Alan Dorman said that he could prepare a list, but pointed out again that many of the 31 parcels are most valuable to the adjacent property owners.