NEWBERRY — The Newberry County Forfeited Land Commission has accepted five bids for properties that the Commission owns and rejected one.

The Commission received two bids for a parcel located north on Church Street in Pomaria. The Commission has had this property since February 2015. The asking price for this property was $176.47 and the bids were from Hannelore Inman of Coronado, Calif., for $176. 47 and Robert Hochstetler of Chapin, for $250.

“I think we need to take the highest bid, because we need to get it back on the tax roll,” said Treasurer Karen Lindler Smith.

Clerk of Court Beth Folk seconded the motion and Hochstetler’s bid was accepted.

A bid of $5,500 from Tibra Johnson of Newberry was received for property on Wallace Street in Newberry. The asking price is $6,465.28. The Commission received this property in August 2016, and it contains six lots.

“I say no because we have not had it long,” Smith said in regards to the bid being about $900 less than the asking price.

Folk seconded the motion and the bid was rejected.

The next bid came for a piece of property off Bedenbaugh Street in Silverstreet. The asking price is $702.92 and the Commission has owned it since April 2016. Curtis Lindsay of Newberry put in a bid for $900.

Folk made a motion to accept the bid and Smith seconded, and the bid was accepted.

The Commission received three bids for a piece of property located at 458 Bush River Road in Newberry. The asking price for this property was $530.17 and the Commission has owned it since April 2016. The bids were Tibra Johnson of Newberry for $500, Zwailia Jones of Newberry for $530.17 and Curtis Lindsay of Newberry for $600.

Folk made a motion to accept the highest bid, and Smith seconded. Lindsay’s bid was accepted.

Three bids were put in for a piece of property located at 924 Gray St., which the Commission has owned since April 2016. The asking price was $430.81 and the bids came in as follows: John Sligh of Newberry, $700; Willie Sligh of Columbia, $550; and Eddie Eigner of Newberry, $450.

The bids received were all put in some time last year, and when the Commission attempted to contact all the bidders they did not hear back from John Sligh, and were unable to leave a message for Eigner.

“One possible solution — accept Mr. John Sligh’s bid, try and call him again, or send him a letter. Then after a period of time, seven days, if he does not respond and if Mr. Willie Sligh is still interested, transfer it to him,” said Newberry County Attorney Jay Tothacer.

Folk made a motion to do just that, and Smith seconded.

Willie Sligh, who was present during the meeting, said John Sligh was his brother and he talked to him several weeks ago, when the Commission called him. He said he told him to check on the status of his bid, but he never got back with him. He also said he would talk with is brother to let him know to respond.

The final property that received bids is located west off Bush River Road in Newberry. The Commission has had this property since April 2016 and were asking $480.81 for it. The bids received were from Kendra and Elaine McFall of Clinton for $480.31 and Veronica Singleton of Newberry for $1,000.

“I say we take the highest bid of $1,000,” Smith said.

Folk seconded and Singleton’s bid was accepted.

Other business

• The Commission elected new officers: Auditor Donna Lominack as chairwoman, Smith as treasurer and Folk as secretary.

• Smith reported that the Commission had a balance of $4,158.68.

• The Commission heard from Terry Howe of Terry Howe and Associates (an auction business), who pitched the idea of selling the properties owned by the Commission, saying that it would be at no cost to the county and they would receive 15 percent of the bid, attorney fees and a $25 application fee, all of which would be paid by the bidder. The Commission took this as information.

Lominack
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Lominack.jpgLominack

Smith
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Linder-Smith.jpgSmith

Folk
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_DSC_0296.jpgFolk

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.