There seems to be some confusion as to how the borough may recover the cost of abating Lucy Harrell’s tire shop/junkyard. There is no need for this confusion. The procedure is clearly defined in Haines Borough code, section 8.12.150, explaining recovery of costs.
Item “C” states: “The costs may be recovered by the borough in a civil action or the borough may assess such costs against each and every separate property affected by the abatement as a tax, which tax shall then be collected as other taxes are collected. “
After the abatement, the costs of abatement are assessed as a tax against the property. As any other property tax, delinquent taxes eventually will result in the foreclosure of the property by the borough and the sale of the foreclosed property by the borough. Therefore in the worst possible scenario, the borough will foreclose and sell the subject property to recover the costs of the abatement. That is how ultimately the borough can and will recover the costs of the abatement.
For further clarification, ask your borough clerk or manager to explain it to you, or read the code. The cost of the abatement is really a loan that is secured by the value of the subject property.
Fred Einspruch