Union County Fiscal Court magistrates set the 2017 Motor Vehicle and Watercraft Property Rate and approved the first reading of an ordinance establishing procedures for abandoned property located within the county during Tuesday mornings’ meeting.
Magistrates heard and discussed the first reading of adopting an ordinance for the purpose of establishing an abandoned property registration program as a mechanism to protect neighborhoods from becoming blighted through the lack of adequate maintenance and security of abandoned properties and as a means of recognizing properties that may be in violation of Union County’s Nuisance Ordinance and to seek remedies to existing and ongoing nuisances.
According to the ordinance, if a party responsible for registering a property fails to register the property as required, they would be violation and would have to pay an administrative fee not to exceed $500.00 per month and each month in excess of five (5) days shall be deemed a separate violation.
In addition, the ordinance states if the lienholder, or creditor, fails to remedy a violation within the stated period, the local government may issue a citation for violation of the ordinance, citing the violator to Union District Court. Each day of the violation shall be considered a separate violation punishable by not more than $10.00 and not more than $500.00. All fines paid in excess of the court costs of Union District Court would be paid to the Union County Fiscal Court as reimbursement to the County for enforcement of the Ordinance and the Union County Nuisance Ordinance.
Magistrates unanimously approved the first reading of the ordinance.
In other action, magistrates unanimously agreed to set the 2017 Motor Vehicle and Watercraft Property Tax at 11.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.