Blighted Properties Slowly Going Away in Clinton County

The Clinton County Commissioners are trying to find a way to remove the Colfax Manson Elevator. The cost to do this is about $250,000. This is a photo the Colfax Manson Elevator courtesy of Area Plan Commission.

The Clinton County Commissioners on Monday received some good news about blighted properties in the county.

“We’re down to about five properties that have been marked as dangerous or blighted that we’re working on getting them down,” said Commissioners President Josh Uitts.

However, there is one piece of blighted property they haven’t been able to deal with so far — the Manson Elevator.

“That’s got a price tag on it of about $250,000 just to take that one down,” said Uitts. “Our annual budget to do blighted properties has been $100,000. We’re still exploring some grant opportunities to help take that down.”

In other news, Clinton County Highway Superintendent Kevin Myers announced they have completed their paving for this year.

“We did roughly seven to seven-and-a-half miles for the year as far as paving ourselves,” said Myers. “We did another four miles or so of 700 North plus we paved the little town of Moran. We also paved some of 500 North and 800 West and we did a little section east of Frankfort called Broadway.”

This doesn’t include paving the streets of Forest, which was part of a Community Crossings Grant from the state.

Clinton County Treasurer Carol Bartley released the numbers of the tax sale that was held Wednesday, October 9, at the Frankfort Community Public Library.

Bartley said 31 of the 40 parcels offered at the sale were sold to buyers. The remaining nine parcels will be offered at the Certificate Sale in March 2020 along with approximately 20 other parcels. Bartley added that delinquent taxes on the original 40 parcels totaled over $55,000 of which over $46,000 was college at the sale along with an additional $258,000 in overbid.