Every property's a dollar is gaining popularity in Buchanan County.

The county has offered "trustee lots," which owners forfeit by not paying taxes on the property for three consecutive years, for $1 for more than a decade now. Owners often forfeited property on purpose to rid themselves of neglected or abandoned land, and people weren't exactly lining up to purchase those plots in the past. At one time, the number of trustee lots swelled to 300.

When the county opted out of its annual $135,000 health services contract with the city of St. Joseph this year, the city no longer had to maintain and mow the lots under the new health contract. Concerns lingered that the county wouldn't be able to maintain them on its own.

But the county's new county health inspector, Ron Martin, who started this summer, decided to enlist some help in the up-keep of those lots. Mr. Martin began contacting owners of property that adjoined or was nearby the trustee lots.

"A lot of them thought they owned part of the property anyway," County Clerk Pat Conway said. "So it's been informative."

In one instance, a strip of land that ran right through a building was not part of the property because of an easement grant 50 years ago. One dollar for the property and a $27 fee to the recorder's office later, the problem was solved for both parties. Since Mr. Martin started soliciting neighbors to buy the properties, the county has sold about 75 of the lots and only has approximately 100 left on its books.

Mr. Conway sold three lots Wednesday morning alone.

The benefit is twofold. First, the county gains a very modest boost in property taxes and will save even more money by not having to maintain the lots. Secondly, neighbors are adding value to their properties by not only cleaning up these trustee lots, but also by adding additional land to their existing plots - even if it's just a 25-foot strip of ground next to someone's yard.

"The appearance of the neighborhoods is the key," said Mr. Conway, who noted most of the trustee lots exist within St. Joseph city limits.

There are some lots the county knows it never will sell - strips of land next to Interstate 229 or the embankment adjacent to King Hill Road. But in general, it seems having someone to flag and identify the properties and then contact neighboring owners has been a benefit to all involved. And Mr. Martin's work isn't slowing down in this area; the county just acquired 30 more trustee lots at the tax sale this year.

R.J. Cooper can be contacted

at rjcooper@npgco.com