Commissioners vote to abate taxes and remove abandoned mobile home at Sunrise Trailer Court

Emmons County commissioners voted to abate delinquent taxes on an apparently abandoned mobile home at the Sunrise Trailer Court and to move forward with removal options after lengthy discussion about legal process and liability.

Speaker 7 raised the item, saying the Buck family "do not intend on paying taxes for '25 nor '26" and that the unit appears abandoned. The board reviewed legal options, including seizure that requires posted notice and a statutory timeline. Speaker 6 explained the county's exposure if it took ownership and noted the process for posting and service must be followed before the county may remove the unit.

After discussing whether the park owner (RemX) would contribute lot-rent or removal costs, Speaker 5 moved "we take ownership, abate the taxes, and remove it," and the board approved the motion to pay off taxes and applicable penalties so the county can proceed with the ownership/abatement process. The two-year unpaid-tax figure was described in the meeting as $190.24 (exclusive of penalties).

Commissioners also directed staff to contact the lot owner to explore cost-sharing for removal and to ensure required legal notices and seizure procedures are followed before any county-directed demolition or disposal.

Next steps: staff will notify and serve property owners as required, discuss costs with the trailer-park owner and prepare the abatement/seizure paperwork for implementation.