County hires tax posting service

A South Carolina company has been hired by the county to design a Susquehanna County-specific system and service for the posting a delinquent property tax notices on properties where back taxes are owed.
Palmetto Posting Inc., of Spartanburg. S.C., will be paid $30 per post for the posting of notice of return and claim; posting of a public tax sale notice; and for a subsequent visit for personal service.
The county is signed on for a one-year contract through Jan. 25, 2018 which may be renewed annually, with the same terms and conditions, for up to three years.
County Treasurer and Tax Claim Director Jason Miller recommended the change.
Commissioner Alan Hall said that it is costly for the county to perform the service and, by contracting with the company, “it’s more economical to taxpayers and the people who own properties that are posted.”
An update to the Tax Claim Bureau fee schedule was also approved by the commissioners at the Jan. 25 meeting.
The 2017 Sale Fee Schedule is as follows:
Year 1: Bureau costs, $45; Miscellaneous fees, $7.40; Posting fee – return and claim, $30;
Year 2, Upset sale: Bureau costs, $45; Miscellaneous fees, $7.40; Advertising, $9; Posting fee – return and claim, $30; Posting fee – sale posting, $30; Personal service (sheriff service), $60;
Year 3, Judicial sale: Bureau cost, $45; Advertising costs, Sheriff service costs, and Lien services will be determined by actual costs, passed on to delinquent property at time of sale.
The commissioners awarded the bid for general excavating and contracting to Ken Raugh Excavating Inc. of Montrose, for a two-year time period ending Dec. 31, 2018. The company offered the lowest, complete bid of the ones that were received by the county on Jan. 7.
The county salary board approved the creation of a new, union, full-time position of Assessment Clerk in the Assessment Office.
The Susquehanna County Commissioners meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room, located in the Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose.