SOUTH POINT — Almost 50 acres next to The Point industrial park owned by Biomass could go on the auction block in the near future.

“It is my intention to file foreclosure on the property in order to collect the taxes,” County Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson said. “We have reached out to this business to no avail. This is what is the required next step.”

Biomass was one of 10 companies that received letters from Anderson’s office that own real estate in Lawrence County and were delinquent for at least six months on their taxes. Representatives from eight of those companies came into the County Treasurer’s office to pay their taxes.

The two that did not respond to Anderson’s letters were Deutsche Bank of New York that has rental property in Lawrence County with $3,630.69 in back taxes and Biomass with $30,171,05 in taxes and penalties owed for the past three years. There are three segments of acreage owned by Biomass that are contiguous to The Point totaling approximately 77 acres. Taxes are delinquent on all parcels. The amount owed on the other two segments totals $2,574.13 in taxes and penalties.

In a foreclosure the prosecutor files a suit naming any other lienholders and eventually the property goes to a sheriff’s sale.

“By state law real estate tax is the first and best lien on all real property,” Anderson said.

The auction would start at two-thirds of the appraised value of the property as determined by the sheriff.

As far as the delinquency concerning Deutsche Bank Anderson said his office is working with the company.

“We have made contact with the legal department and arrangements are being made to get those paid,” he said.