Marion County Commissioners Meeting – November 19, 2024
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Marion County Commissioners Meeting – November 19, 2024
The Marion County Commissioners met on November 19, 2024, at approximately 2:05 PM in Room 260 of the City-County Building. President Joseph O'Connor presided, with Auditor Milo Eldridge serving as secretary; Treasurer Barbara Lawrence was absent but a quorum was present. The only substantive agenda item was the transfer of a delinquent-tax parcel to the abutting landowner program.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes of the September 17, 2024 meeting were approved by voice vote with a motion and second.
Discussion Items
- Abutting Landowner Program – Parcel 7029586 (Tudor Park Drive): Staff presented a parcel comprising the length of Tudor Park Drive, the main thoroughfare of the Tudor Park condominium development. The parcel had delinquent taxes dating back to 2003 and went to tax sales around 2005‑2006. It was not originally platted as common property. On April 26, 2024, the Peter Boa (likely a board or committee) unanimously approved an exemption on the assessed value, bringing it below the $50,000 threshold for the abutting landowner program. Staff recommended declaring the property surplus and transferring it to the highest bidder among eligible abutters. Commissioner O'Connor noted that the deed would be restricted to use only as common property, making it non‑taxable. It was clarified that only Tudor Park HOA members could bid because they are the only parties who could use the property in good faith, though parcels to the south technically also abut the land. The commissioners asked no further questions.
Key Outcomes
- Vote: The commissioners unanimously approved a motion to transfer Parcel 7029586 to the abutting landowner program. The motion carried by voice vote (two ayes, no nays). The next meeting was scheduled for December 17, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the same room.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned immediately following the vote.
Meeting Transcript
All right, we'll go ahead and call the meeting to order. This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting. It is November 19, 2024, approximately 2.05 p.m. in room 260 of the city county building. My name is Joseph O'Connor. I am the president of the county commissioners, and we just have one introduction today on my left. Madam Auditor. Good afternoon, Milo Eldridge serving as the secretary. Thank you. Uh Barbara Lawrence, our treasurer is absent today, but we do have a quorum with just the two of us, so we will be conducting business. First order of this will be to approve the September 17, 2024 minutes of for that meeting. Mr. Chair, I'll move approval. Okay, I'll second. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Minutes are approved. Next we have an abutting landowner program. Good afternoon, Commissioners. Parcel 7029586 is a parcel of land that comprises the length of Tudor Park Drive from the entrance at 38th Street to the former clubhouse at the back of the property. Tudor Park Drive is the main thoroughfare for the Tudor Park condominium development, and there is no outlet on the other side. This parcel went to tax sales sometime around 2005 to 2006, according to the best estimation of staff. All tax sales from 2006 and prior were labeled 2006 when they were uploaded into PVD. However, it appears this parcel has delinquent taxes dating back to 2003, which would have made it for eligible for tax sale starting in 2005. Here are some photos of the parcel in question. On the right, you have the overhead uh satellite view that shows Tudor Park Drive going back, and then on the left you have a very old, almost about nine years old uh picture of the clubhouse, which has only deteriorated in quality since it was boarded back in 2015. The Tudor Park HOA has been on a mission to revitalize the community and to rectify some of the areas where developers and previous HOA boards had let things slip through the cracks. In so doing, this parcel came up as a loose thread on April 26, 2024. Peter Boa unanimously passed a motion to grant an exemption on the assessed value of this property, which brought it below the threshold for the abutting landowner program. At this time, staff recommends declaring the property listed on the agenda as surplus and transferring it to the abutting landowner with the highest bid received. Any questions from the commissioners? No questions. I know we had so was the Peter Boa the last meeting they I know what's the threshold for the 50,000. 50,000. Okay. And this thing, so normally it would be considered common property. This was not platted as such, uh, meaning it did not have the encumbrance encumbrances or restrictions that uh normal common property would have, which would be exempt from taxation under Indiana law. So it really is common property because it only serves the benefit of those. So I think the lawyers had presented that they did restrict the deed uh in perpetuity with the fact that it can only be used as common property, which allows it to be a non-taxable property. Are they the only property that touches so these properties below um also abut it, but they don't have because of the unique interest in Tudor Park? Um, it's basically a special abutting where since they're the only ones who could actually use it in good faith. They're the only ones who are eligible to bid. Okay, good. But technically those parcels to the south do abut it on the back. Okay. Sounds good. All right, are we ready for a motion? I'm ready for a motion, I guess. And the motion would be for this property to what uh be a part of the abutting program, landowner program transferred to the abutting landowner.
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