www. LovellChronicle.com
October 14, 2010 I The Lovell Chronicle I 11
SUSAN PECK
It was an exciting moment for little Wil Loyning
(pointing) when Nick Loftus squirted water high in
the air from his fire truck during a Rocky Mountain
Preschool field trip to the Deaver-Frannie Fire Dept.
for National Fire Prevention Week last Thursday.
Also looking on are Kaitey Christensen (left) and
aide Pam Felt.
Delinquent sales tax brings investors from all over
BY BRENDA TENBOER
Fogy-four people reg-
istered for the Big Horn
County 2009 delinquent
tax sale held last month.
The annual event draws
people, primarily men near-
ing retirement age, from
around the state and as far
away as Minnesota, Wis-
consin and California and
means complete strang-
ers sometimes paying more
than $98,750 in back taxes
on more than 230 parcels of
property.
Last year, 44 regis-
trants also signed up but
the amount of taxes owed
was about 25 percent less
at $73,504 for 201 parcels.
The annual sale means
the county gets what it's
owed and the nearly four-
dozen investors earn a
small amount of addition-
al income in the form of 15
percent interest from the
date of the sale plus a 3-per-
cent penalty, according to
Big Horn County Treasurer
Becky Lindsay.
Property owners get
behind on paying taxes for
any number of reasons; ill-
ness in the family, forget-
fulness, job loss, she said.
Simply paying the back
taxes on a parcel, doesn't
mean immediate owner-
ship, in reality about 99
"if people are wanting to do it
for the property - it's probably not
going to happen."
Big Hrn County Treasurer Becky Lindsay
on the delinquent tax sale
percent of the time the
mortgage holder will pay
the taxes if the owner does
not, Lindsey said.
"If people are wanting
to do it for the property, it's
probably not going to hap-
pen," said Lindsay. "They
might as well go to the
property owner and make
an offer."
The day of the auction,
the District Courtroom on
the second floor of the court-
house in Basin was packed
not with defendants and ju-
rors but with investors.
The tax sale software
randomly assigns numbers
to properties and for the
best return on investments,
registrants hope for their
number to come up on the
property with the highest
amount of tax owed.
Jerry Newmeyer of
Casper is retired but has
been attending tax sales
across the state for a long
time.
In Big Horn County
last month, Newmeyer got
six properties for $1,800.
Jim Scott of Lander
said he has been doing this
for 12 years and learned a
great deal about the pro-
cess from Newmeyer. This
year, Scott got five proper-
ties for $1,400.
"It's going to be this way
ufftil Obama gets out of of-
rice," Scott predicted about
the increase in taxes owed.
Bill and Chris Dietrich
of San Diego, Calif., incor-
porated the tax sale into
their family vacation.
"We're here on a sight-
seeing tour. We spent two
nights in Cody and then
went on to Yellowstone," he
said. "We got seven proper-
ties all together for a total
of $1,300, but we didn't get
the property we wanted."
Lindsay said the days of
investors being able to se-
lect the property they want
to pay taxes on and have a
chance of owning after the
tedious four-year paper-
work process are gone.
"Twenty years ago we
had two people come in
here and they could pick
the ones they wanted," she
said.
The county would be-
come the lien holder for the
remainder of the back taxes
and took ownership of some
of those properties decades
ago.
Today that doesn't hap-
pen.
"The interest rates
went from about 7 percent
in the 80s to 15 percent,"
she said.
Once the rightful prop-
erty owner pays the back
taxes and penalty to the
treasurer's office, the lien is
released and the investor is
repaid with interest.
Sometimes the proper-
ty owner pays interest for
years, while other times
"the check beats them
home," she said.
Lindsay said owners
have until 5 p.m. at the
close of the business day
before the sale to make
payment.
"We've had people come
in that morning and want
to pay, but it's too late then
and they have to pay the
penalty," she said.
CONSIDERING A VASECTOMY?
Why not have it done by the only board certified urologist
located full time in the basin?
DN. GREGORY STEWART
UROLOGICAL SERVICES OF NORTHERN WYOMING PC
Specializing in the "no needle/no scapel technique."
15 minute office procedure.
Frequently done on Friday with the possibility of back to light-duty work on Monday.
Dr. Gregory Stewart Vasectomy reverals also available at competitive pncing.
Clinics held in Poweli , Basin - Big Horn Clinic Greybuli - Midway Clinic
Thermopolis - Hot Springs Co. Memorial Hospital. VA patients accepted with prior approval.
225 W. YELLOWSTONE Ave., SUITe 9 CODY,
To schedule an appointment please call 307-587-5131
- Lovell ::,Rod::&
Gun g
..... TUesday, Oct. 19, 2010
Trap house will be open ot 5 p.m. for
shooting.
g (]bout 7:30 p.m. or when it's d(]rk.
All interested members invited to (]fiend.
y, Oct. 22
4-8 pm
Saturday, Oct. 23
9 am - 2 pm
Lovell National Guard Armory
360 E. 5th Street, LovelI,Wyoming
Concessions provided by the
United Methodist Women
Craft Fmr sponsored by the
Lovell Civic Action Group
Please vote to continue the
additional 3 mills levy for
North Big Horn Hospital.
Vote YES
to continue
North Big Horn Hospital District Tax
"Shall the North Big Horn Hospital District be
authorized to levy an additional 3 mills as provided
by W. S. 35-2-414 for a period not to exceed four (4)
years, to provide sufficient funds for the continued
operation of the hospital and nursing home?
1115 Lane 12 548-5200
Paid by 3 Mill Levy Action Committee
Kenny answered 11 questions correctly in our online
Rocky Mountain Middle/High School quiz!
Wear your Grizz shirt proudly!
TAYLOR WRITE
HAYNES IT IN!
2010
G OV E R N O R o, ,..,
THE MOST CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE
Individual Rights Wyoming
Property Rights Economy
Gun Rights Education
Jobs Sanctity of Life
TOWN HALL
PUBLIC MEETING
Monday, Oct. 18th 5-8 p.m.
Park County Library - Grizzly Room
1500 Heart Mtn. Street, Cody, WY
www. haynesforgovernor, cam
Paid for by Jim and Martie Clark
e have all you need for a
hot meal or picnic!
Red
Featurin OhesterFried and
WondeRoast Chicken!
Open: 8 am - 8 pm Mon.-Sat. 9 am - 6 pm Sunday. 9 E, Main Lovell
MINCHOW'S FOOD COURT
353 E. Main Lovell 548-7979
OPEN 11 am - 9 pm Mon.-Thura. Fri. & Sat. 11 am - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 8 pm
RED EA6LE FOOD STORES
QUALITY E)yON
GAS FOR LESS
548-7246" West End of Lovell ::
NORTH BIG HORN SENIORcENTER
757 Great Western Ave., L0vell
M-F, 12 NOON TO 1:00 PM, No reservations required
60 + just $2.50 Non Seniors $4.75
Enjoy Delicious, Appetizing Meals
’_AUC-IkSIkN DINER
Call 548-2781 to take out or cater your events or parties!
ASIAN COMBOS Fr. $4.99 I AMERICAN CLASSIC COMBOS
Served w/rice & pans, noodles + I Sirloin Steaks 8.99 Bacon & Eggs 3.99
Beef-Chicken-Pork-Shrimp entrees Burgers, Salads, Kids Meals, etc.
Friday, October 15
Rocky Mountain High School Homecoming
Wednesday, October 20
Bulldog Booster Club meeting, 5 p.m., Big Horn Federal
Hospitality Room.
Thursday, October 21
Veterans' federal and state benefits assistance, Lovell Senior
Citizens Center, 11 a.m. -4 p.m. Contact Gerald Swan at
307-250-3890.
October 22 & 23
Holiday Craft Fair, Lovell National Guard Armory, Fri., 4 - 8
p.m., Sat., 9 a.m. - 2 p.m
BHC School District No. 1 Board, 2nd Thursday, RMES, 8 pm
BHC School District No. 2 Board (Lovell), 2ndMonday, board room,
7 p.m.
BHC Treasurer at County Annex, 1st and 3rd Thursday each month,
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Big Ham Basin chapter of Gold Prospectors Association of America,
Skyline Care in Powell, 2nd Tuesday, 7 pm., 754-5921.
Big Horn County 4-H Leader's Council, 1st Monday, Extension Office
on Hwy 310, 6:30 p.m.
Big Horn County Weed and Pest monthly board meeting, 2nd Tuesday,
1 pro., W&P office at 4782 Hwy. 310, Greybull.
Byron Lions Club, 548-7543.
Cancer Support Group, 3rd Thursday, 7 pro., NHCC multi-purpose
room.
Cowley Riding Club, 3rdMonday, 7 p.m., 307-664-2235.
Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce general membership meeting, 3rd
Monday, noon, Lange's Kitchen
Lovell Bulldog Booster Club, 3rd Wednesday, Big Horn Federal Hos-
pitality Room, 7 pro.
Lovell Library Story Time, every Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.
Lovell Riders, Inc. meeting, 2nd Thursday, Big Ham Federal, 7 pm.,
548-6192
Lovell Town Council, 2rid Tuesday, Town Hall, 7 p.m.
Lovell Woman's Club, 2nd Wednesday, Big Horn Federal Hospitality
Room, 1 p.m. Contact Deanna Wagner, 548-7793.
Narcotics Anonomous, Mondays at Big Ham Federal at 7 pro, contact
Permillia, 272-8384
North Big Horn County Health Coalition, 3rd Tuesday, noon, rotating
locations, 548-6410
Ostomy Support Group meeting, 2nd Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m., North Fork
room, West Park Hospital in Cody
Plndroppars Quilt Club, 4th Thursday, 7 p.m., Mayes Fabric, 406-788-
9689.
TOPS @ WY169, every Thursday, St. John's Episcopal Church base-
ment in Powell, 6 p.m. 664-2394
TrI-Mountsln View Masonic Lodge, 2nd Thursday, dinner 6:30 p.m,
lodge meeting 7:30 p.m.
WyDOT Driver Licensing Facility open in Lovell every Tuesday, 9:30
am. to 4 pm.
Sponsored by
