BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County’s annual tax sale will move from the courthouse steps to a computer near you this August.
The sale for property on which taxes are delinquent is held annually on the fourth Monday in August.
County Collector/Treasurer Joshua Speakman said the process will offer more transparency than the current method.
“The Stoddard County Collector’s office feels as if the transparency with this new online process will have a much greater impact, allowing the public, who plan to take part in this process, to observe first hand that due diligence is absolutely met, and in many cases above and beyond the minimal law driven by requirements,” Speakman said in a press release.
Speakman added the online process will be safer, reducing concerns citizens might have about the spread of COVID-19 among in-person bidders.
People interested in participating in the tax sale must complete a profile online at civicsource.com. Speakman said all other procedures for approving bidders will remain the same.
A legal description of each property, a detailed estimate of projected costs, a list of interested parties, a breakdown of property taxes, an official assessment and a list of documents for the property are available on the website.
Investors with the highest bid will have the choice of paying online or at the collector’s office.
The collector said the service will cost nothing to taxpayers. Each investor/land owner will be responsible for a $20 to $30 fee per property.
The commissioners endorsed Speakman’s plan.
“As long as we’re meeting statutes, I think it will be less of a hassle of having people stand on the courthouse steps,” Presiding Commissioner Danny Talkington said.
Associate Commissioner Carol Jarrell expressed a concern. She wanted to make sure that the county wouldn’t be hit with unexpected costs down the road.
Speakman reassured the commissioners that this would not happen because the county would not have to purchase any software.
EMA Report
Stoddard County Emergency Management Agency Director Andrew Bohnert informed the commissioners that RadarOmega will be installing new weather stations featuring rotating cameras with sound at the six existing sites — Advance, Bloomfield, Dexter, Dudley, Essex and Puxico — in the coming weeks.
Bohnert said two additional cameras will be installed in the county. He is considering locating them near Bell City, Otter Slough and/or Bernie.
In addition, Bohnert said the sheriff’s department has agreed to let him use an out-of-service Ford Crown Victoria. The vehicle will be transferred to the EMA.
Talkington said the only cost would be for fuel, but the cost would be less than paying mileage for Bohnert to use his own vehicle.
Impact notice
Stoddard County Assessor Dan Creg told the commissioners his office will be mailing out an impact notice for a state-mandated change in assessment Friday.
If taxpayers have questions about rate changes, contact the assessor’s office at 573-568-3163.