Seward County Treasurer Jacob “Jake” Zlatkovsky has officially closed the bidding on delinquent property taxes for 2025 and will be disbursing an additional $136,909 to area school districts, villages, cities and the county next month.
Zlatkovsky submitted a written report to the Seward County Board of Commissioners prior to its March 11 meeting indicating that all but $3,627 in unpaid property taxes had been sold. The county on March 11 approved certification of the remaining back taxes, allowing payment of those taxes to the tax-receiving entities and starting a three-year clock toward possible foreclosure on the properties on which those taxes were levied.
Like the county, individuals who invest in delinquent taxes have the same window of time before they can begin foreclosure proceedings in the courts. Unlike the county, they are allowed to attach an administrative fee for handling delinquent taxes that must be recorded within 30 days of their purchase.
Individuals owing those back taxes will also have to pay an additional 14% interest that is accrued daily, as set out by Nebraska statute. Delinquent taxes on this year’s list ranged from $13.53 to $12,004.16, excluding those fees, and include rural and in-town properties across the county.
The property owners may pay their taxes with the interest charged to date at any time to avoid foreclosure. Zlatkovsky said when the property owner pays the taxes, the investors are repaid their investment and any interest accrued, as well as an administrative fee the investor can add to the delinquent taxes within the first 30 days of ownership.
Zlatkovsky said he has not seen any delinquent tax cases move into foreclosure in the two years he has been Seward County treasurer.
Delinquent taxes in the most recent list are for 2023 taxes, which were due in installments May 1 and Sept. 1 last year.
Zlatkovsky said the first half of 2024 taxes must be paid by May 1, and he expects office traffic to increase during March and April as property owners come in to pay. The second half is due by Sept. 1.
Property taxes can also be paid online starting at the treasurer’s website https://www.sewardcountyne.gov/treasurer. Property owners can also see tax levy, valuation and tax amount trends for their property from that site.
In other action March 11, the county board:
• Approved as the Seward County Board of Equalization a tax list correction and exemptions partial tax exemptions for Seward Living Center, Sunrise Country Manor-Sunrise Country Addition, Sunrise Country Manor-Betz Addition, Blue Heron, Milford Childhood and Grace Evangelical Church.
• Approved changes to the county’s personnel policies for time keeping, overtime, pay period, work hours and cellphone usage.
• Approved plans to request sealed bids for construction work on a bridge deck replacement on Branched Oak Road east of 266th Road, which is a bridge match program with Lancaster County.
• Updated human resources on overtime, time-keeping, pay period and work hours and cell phone usage.
• Approved Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4775 plans for a flag retirement ceremony by the Veterans Memorial on March 29.
• Approved plans for replacement of the HVAC system at the County Weed Building for $9,951, which will be paid out of the commissioners’ sinking fund designated for building and grounds expenses.
