Dunn County committee authorizes repurchase window for Maria's Country Garden foreclosure

The Dunn County Planning, Resource and Development Committee on May 21 authorized a conditional repurchase for property taken through the in rem foreclosure process by Maria's Country Garden LLC, represented at the meeting by Jeremy Radel.

County staff explained the parcels were taken through in rem foreclosure for unpaid taxes (judgment recorded April 8, 2026) and that current law limits how proceeds above recoverable costs are handled. The request presented to the committee asked for repurchase with a $500 administrative fee and a total payback amount, with interest continuing to accrue until the deadline the committee sets.

Staff recommended and the committee approved authorizing a sale price of $99,603.40 with payment to be made by June 15, 2026. Committee discussion clarified that if the payment is not made by that date, the sale authorization lapses and any new repurchase request would have to return to the committee. No detailed roll-call of votes was recorded in the transcript; the motion passed on a voice vote.

Jeremy Radel told the committee the greenhouse business suffered a sharp revenue drop due to nearby road construction and that he expected bank funding to complete in mid-June after an appraisal. “I would have the money by, you know, June 1st, May 30th … I would like to extend it to June 15th. I would have it paid in full,” Radel said.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about acreage (about 19.77 acres for the main parcel and roughly one acre for the developed facility), the in rem process, administrative fees, and whether third parties could pay the delinquent taxes (county staff said Wisconsin law does not allow private parties to acquire title by simply paying another person’s delinquent taxes). The committee recorded the motion as passed and thanked Radel for appearing.

Next steps: staff will implement the committee’s authorization and, if payment is received by the deadline, will complete the repurchase per statutory procedures. If the deadline is missed, the matter must return to the committee for reconsideration.