Madawaska to sell tax-acquired properties

MADAWASKA – The sale of tax-acquired property does not happen often in Madawaska, but the town will be advertising the sale of four or five parcels next month.

Only one of the parcels has a small building on it. The remainder of the parcels are land-only. They vary in size from quite small to one parcel of 42 acres.

“It’s the first time we’ll sell tax-acquired property in at least 34 years,” Town Manager Arthur Faucher said Thursday. “It’s a process where we have to dot our i’s and cross our t’s.”

Selectmen discussed two tax-acquired properties at a meeting Wednesday. One owner, John Lagasse, made payment arrangements to reclaim ownership of a business property and private real estate.

The second parcel, owned by Sylvia Parent of Grand Isle according to town records, will be among those sold.

The Parent property, according to town bookkeeper Linda Cyr, was acquired because taxes have not been paid since 1994. The 42-acre lot is located along the Grand Isle-Madawaska town line.

According to discussion between Cyr, selectmen and Robert Bellefleur, a Madawaska attorney, a mistake was made when the property was sold by Parent to Valier Dumais, a Grand Isle resident, in 1970.

Dumais purchased farmland from Parent and the 42-acre tract was supposed to be part of the transaction. It did not make it into Dumais’ deed. Still, Dumais farmed the land until his retirement.

Dumais, in turn, sold his land to James and Kate Cook. The 42-acre parcel remained in limbo.

Sylvia Parent, who owned other land in Madawaska, paid taxes on the parcel until 1994. She only realized she was paying taxes on the parcel after she sold all of her property in Madawaska, and was still getting a property tax bill.

Cyr said Parent asked to be repaid for the 24 years of taxes she paid. Cyr explained that the property is still listed as Parent’s on town books.

Cyr said Parent refused to pay the taxes and lien charges against the property.

The property will be among those listed for sale, Faucher said.

The properties, Faucher explained, will be listed by tax map identification in advertisements for public bid. People who wish to know more about the properties can view municipal tax maps before making bids.

Owners of the tax-acquired properties can still make arrangements with the town to pay back taxes and fees and reclaim their real estate.

Acquisition by the town is allowed 18 months after tax bills have been posted. Liens were placed by the town against the properties to be listed last June.

Faucher said advertising for bids on the properties should be done in December.

Owners have been notified of the town’s acquisition due to unpaid taxes by registered mail, and a personal letter from Faucher. The process to retain ownership was outlined in the letters.

Since the letters were sent out, two property owners have made arrangements with the town to pay the taxes and fees and to retain ownership of their properties.