TRUMBULL COUNTY Former auditor helps interchange speculator

The parcels will be sold to the highest bidder.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- A former Trumbull County auditor is the point man for a developer who wants to speculate on land where an interchange will be built.
Edward Bush declined Tuesday to identify the developer, but he said he's local and already owns land in the area east of Belmont Avenue, behind Rite Aid Pharmacy at Gypsy Lane where the state Route 711 connector is scheduled to open in 2006.
It's the same location which township administrator Patrick J. Ungaro identified a year ago as the possible site of an industrial park.
Tried to start proceedings
Michael Robinson, tax investigator for the county treasurer's office, said Bush sought to start tax foreclosure proceedings on most of the properties, while the treasurer's office added surrounding parcels that have delinquencies.
Gaining ownership is purely speculative at this point because the property will go to the highest bidder at sheriff's sale.
County Treasurer Christ Michelakis said a sheriff's sale may not be held for a year to 18 months because of decreased staffing in the sheriff's department.
Bush said it's his understanding a sale could take place by the end of September or first of October.
The former auditor noted the developer is a friend and he didn't charge him for the research.
Ungaro has proposed an industrial park because of the added traffic Route 711 will bring through the area.
Ungaro said he's willing to work with a local developer who already owns property in the area, but he will also propose at the July 14 meeting of township trustees that the land through be taken by eminent domain.
Another possibility
If that doesn't work, the township may bid on the parcels at the sheriff's sale to create a land bank through the Liberty Community Improvement Corp., Ungaro said.
The CIC has the ability to buy land for development.
Even if the land is sold to a speculator at auction, Ungaro said another option is for the township to gain ownership through eminent domain from the speculator.
What concerns Ungaro is a land speculator driving up the price and "killing a project."
Some of the 50 parcels in the area have delinquencies ranging from $46 to $2,472.
Robinson said they are properties whose owners either died or simply abandoned the vacant lots.
Yovich@vindy.com