ASHLAND – Ashland County Common Pleas Judge Ron Forsthoefel has issued an order of foreclosure on the Pump House Ministries property north of Fourth Street between Orange and Union Streets.
The latest foreclosure, ordered by the judge Monday, includes the land containing rubble and partial building remains of what was once the F.E. Myers Pump Company factory area. It also includes the ministry’s textile warehouse at the corner of Union and Fourth streets.
Following foreclosure, the property will be put up for Sheriff’s sale, according to county prosecutor Chris Tunnell, who set the foreclosure process in motion by filing for foreclosure last October.
Since the property carries $104,360 in back taxes, assessments, penalties and interest, it cannot be sold at Sheriff’s sale for less than that amount. Even if a buyer was willing to pay that price, they would not have a clean title on the property because it’s also subject to an approximately $250,000 federal lien, according to Tunnell.
“I can’t imagine anybody paying six figures to acquire a property in that condition that is subject to that kind of lien,” Tunnell said.
If the property doesn’t sell at the first sheriff’s sale — and Tunnell believes it likely won’t — the county must wait two weeks and then put it up for Sheriff’s sale a second time.
If the property still doesn’t sell, the county can then sell the property at Auditor’s sale for less than the back taxes owed.
Tunnell said the county’s approach to this parcel of land is different than its approach to the first foreclosure on Pump House property, which included all Pump House land south of Fourth Street with the exception of the thrift store. The county was able to recoup the taxes owed on that property through a settlement agreement in which the City of Ashland acquired the property.
“We’re not going to recoup tax dollars out of this parcel,” Tunnell said of the second foreclosure. “This part is really a community problem, so we’re not entering into it with the same goal.”
While the county may move ahead with the required Sheriff’s sale, Tunnell and other county officials are working with the City of Ashland, Ohio EPA, state senator Larry Obhof, state representative Darrell Kick and U.S. congressman Bob Gibbs to see what options might be available to use a public and/or private funds to clean up the property and return it to safe, usable green space.
Tunnell said he met with Ashland Mayor Matt Miller and Joy Padgett of Ohio the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Thursday and that the meeting left him feeling optimistic.
The city and county are preparing documents to provide to the EPA in hopes of getting the agency to sign off on demolition at the site.
Tunnell emphasized the process is not likely to move quickly.
“It’s going to take time,” he said. “It’s a problem that wasn’t created overnight. We’re not going to resolve it overnight.”
Pump House Ministries now owns only two properties — the one at 400 Orange Street where Pump House’s office and catering business is located and the one at 345 Orange Street that houses Revivals 2 Thrift Store. Though Pump House reportedly sold the thrift store property to new owners earlier this year, County Auditor Cindy Funk said Wednesday the land is still in Pump House’s name, and Pump House still owes $13,887 in delinquent taxes on that property.
For more information about the Pump House property, check out Ashland Source’s four-part series, Fourth & Orange.
