Meeting Type: BCC Regular Meeting
Meeting Date: 4/7/2020
Item Status: New
From: The Honorable Teddy Faust, Revenue Commissioner
Submitted by: Susan Hill, Chief Administrative Assistant
______________________________________________________________________
ITEM TITLE
Title
Provision of Online Auction Portal for the Baldwin County Tax Lien Auction
Body
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
As requested by the Honorable Teddy Faust, Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner, take the following action:
Authorize the Chairman to execute the Professional Services Contract for Online Auction Portal (Agreement) between Baldwin County Alabama and GovEase Auction LLC.
The term of this Agreement shall commence on the effective date (execution date) and shall remain in force for six (6) months, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and can be renewed by providing written notice of such intention to GovEase.
End
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Previous Commission action/date: N/A
Background: In 2018 the tax sale law was amended permitting the sale of a tax lien on real property instead of selling the property for non-payment of taxes. Baldwin County was one of the first seven counties in Alabama that opted to utilize this form of collecting 2018 taxes before final settlement with the state comptroller. Final settlement involves a reconciliation of all taxes collected and un-collected and includes any errors, property set aside due to litigation or bankruptcy, etc.
After the law was amended, a company from Mississippi (GovEase, LLC) found out about the change in Alabama and presented their online option for conducting a tax lien sale. Because the tax lien auction was a new procedure we were not willing to make a change from the traditional method of holding the sale in the office, so we took a wait and see approach. Our first tax lien auction was a success and we are pleased with the new procedure. It greatly benefits Baldwin County property owners and is very fair.
Now that we are confronted with office closures, we think the online alternative is the only sure way to move the tax auction forward. A date has been set for April 29, 2020, and it is imperative this alternative be made available.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: $12.00 for every lien sold online. We anticipate the total number of liens will not exceed 900, or $10,800.00.
Budget line item(s) to be used: 51600.5499
If this is not a budgeted expenditure, does the recommendation create a need for funding? 51600.5499 is not currently a budgeted line item; however, funding will be moved to that line item from within the 51600 operating budget upon Commission approval of this item.
LEGAL IMPACT
Is legal review necessary for this staff recommendation and related documents?
Yes
Reviewed/approved by: Brad Hicks, County Attorney (approved 03/20/2020)
Additional comments: N/A
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Is advertising required for this recommendation? N/A
If the proof of publication affidavit is not attached, list the reason: N/A
FOLLOW UP IMPLEMENTATION
For time-sensitive follow up, select deadline date for follow up: N/A
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: N/A
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): Administration staff: have Chairman execute documents and send to:
GovEase, LLC
Attn: Ryan Matthews, President
2080 Main St., 2nd Floor
Madison, Mississippi 39110
cc:
Donahoo Law Firm, PLLC
Attn: Price W. Donahoo, Esq.
P O Box 1549
Madison, Mississippi 39130
J. Bradford Boyd Hicks
8820 U.S. Highway 90
Daphne, Alabama 36526
Teddy J. Faust, Jr., Revenue Commissioner
Additional instructions/notes: N/A