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Huntington Indiana Citizen News - HICN, Huntington, IN (2026)

05/25/2026

Between the cookouts, lake trips, and busy Memorial Day schedules, please take one hour tonight to attend, remember, and honor the Huntington County veterans. Please don’t forget to slowly drive through the cemeteries with your family and children to reflect on the meaning behind every flag, every name, and every sacrifice.

05/24/2026

Congratulations Huntington North Class of 2026

05/24/2026

𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬 | 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗦 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗢𝗡?

Well good morning Huntington. The Hank is back, slightly sleep deprived, mildly irritated, and once again asking…

What exactly are we doing here?

After legal bill requests started floating around the county, taxpayers finally got to ask the question everybody knew was coming after election season:

“So… how much did all this drama actually cost us?”

Spoiler alert:
it ain’t pretty.

The Ashbaugh court situation continues to feel like a community gut punch where everybody is hoping the police report somehow sounds better the second time around.
It does not.

EMA finally got to activate every flashing light and Facebook credential imaginable over an oil dumping incident.
Somewhere deep down you could feel the excitement.
“THIS IS OUR MOMENT.”

The Commissioners meeting kicked off with citizens basically saying:
“Hold on there, chief.”
An easement disagreement turned into one of those awkward moments where regular people reminded government officials that taxpayers are not NPCs.

Then came County Council where citizens are finally starting to pump the brakes on blind spending approvals.
You could almost hear the record scratch every time somebody asked:
“Wait… what exactly is this for?”

Council President Kendall Mickley also appeared to hit the:
“Please leave my employer out of this”
phase of public office.

Which is fascinating because local government lately has basically been one giant game of:
“Rules for thee, but not for me.”

Sheriff Chris Newton gave one of the more honest discussions we’ve heard in awhile regarding jail culture and staffing realities.
For a brief moment the room actually stopped acting like Facebook commenters and listened.

Veterans across the county gathered to remind everybody that Memorial Day is not just “Boat Season Opening Weekend.”
Crazy concept:
remembering people who died serving the country.

Meanwhile HCCSC continues spinning the Wheel of Administrative Turnover.
HR positions matter.
Financial oversight matters.
Stability matters.
But hey, maybe one more consultant fixes it.

AI somehow became one of the healthier conversations this week.
Reality check:
the people learning to use AI are going to replace the people pretending it does not exist.
That train has already left the station.

Warren continues doing Warren things.
Meetings barely noticed.
Votes moving fast.
Public trying to keep up.
But remember:
the REAL threat to democracy is apparently a guy with a microphone asking questions.

Andrews quietly moved forward on another land purchase tied to familiar names and community connections.
Small town Indiana:
where everybody is somehow cousins, business partners, or both.

Markle Library got the full Photo Op treatment this week.
Nothing says “supporting literacy” quite like making sure the camera catches your good side during public comment.

The grocery store conversation somehow turned into a broader debate over Huntington’s identity itself.
Do we embrace growth?
Do we embrace accountability?
Do we subsidize everything with taxpayer money forever?
Or do we eventually admit Roanoke figured some things out that Huntington still struggles with?

Also:
nothing screams “healthy local economy” quite like government-backed grocery stores while basic downtown maintenance still looks optional.

The Huntington TAB managed to wander into financial turbulence while simultaneously discovering that social media exists now and people can actually read public information in real time.
Tough week.

The City got called out over media release issues, Paff’s page briefly vanished into the Bermuda Triangle of Facebook, and conspiracy theories immediately hit Mach 5.

And quietly in the background?
A younger conservative movement keeps growing.
TPUSA events.
Younger voices stepping in.
The old political guard probably ought to start paying attention because the “wait your turn” generation is getting replaced by the “nah, we’ll do it ourselves” crowd.

Anyway.

That’s Huntington this week.

Confusing.
Loud.
Petty.
Entertaining.
Occasionally productive.

And somewhere between the lawsuits, Facebook meltdowns, easement fights, grocery store dreams, mystery disappearances, photo ops, and budget panic…

we all just keep staring at each other asking:

“What the hell is even happening anymore?”

Stay weird, Huntington.

05/23/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗣 | 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗟𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗧

The Huntington City-Township Public Library Board spent a large portion of Wednesday night discussing the future of Markle Library operations as declining usage numbers continue raising concerns about long term sustainability.

Library leadership said the biggest losses since 2021 have come from DVD checkouts and reduced foot traffic, something they largely blamed on high speed internet and streaming services becoming more common in rural areas. Officials stated Markle is averaging roughly 272 monthly visitors compared to around 445 monthly visitors in 2021. Adult DVDs alone reportedly account for nearly half of the circulation decline.

Despite the concerns, library officials indicated they are leaning toward continuing Markle branch operations and eventually hiring a dedicated branch manager rather than eliminating leadership there altogether. Residents repeatedly stressed the importance of having someone local and invested in Markle serving as the face of the library.

The meeting room was packed with residents defending the library and urging the board not to scale back operations.

Several speakers argued the library remains one of Markle’s most important community assets and warned losing it would hurt efforts to attract young families, especially with the new IU Health hospital project expected to bring growth to the area. Others emphasized the importance of internet access, youth programs, summer reading, and community engagement opportunities the library provides.

A recurring theme throughout the night was that Markle may not have an attendance problem as much as it has an engagement and visibility problem.

Residents pushed for stronger social media outreach, more video content, better promotion of events, and more community centered activities to draw people back through the doors. One resident summed it up bluntly by stating if usage is declining “we need to double down and do more rather than do less.”

But Wednesday night also had two very different energies in the room.

One was genuine concern from residents trying to protect a community asset they truly value.

The other, at times, felt more like political chest pounding from familiar local political figures suddenly rediscovering their “passion” once there was a crowd, public emotion, and a microphone nearby.

Still, by the end of the meeting, the overall message from both the board and the public was clear:

Nobody wants to lose the Markle Library.

The real question moving forward may simply be whether the community is willing to actively support and use it enough to justify keeping it strong long term.

05/23/2026

𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚
𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

The Andrews Town Council held a short Special Meeting Wednesday afternoon focused almost entirely on the South Well Field property purchase.

According to the meeting agenda, council discussed:
• South Well Field Location
• Notice of Exercise of Option to Purchase Property
• Purchase Agreement

During the meeting, town officials explained the town is officially exercising its option to purchase the property connected to the South Well Field project. Council approved:
• Exercising the option to purchase the property
• Authorizing the purchase agreement to be signed on behalf of the town

Discussion also touched on future planning for the site, engineering work, and maintaining portions of the property until development moves forward. Officials indicated engineering and planning steps are still ahead before major work begins.

The meeting itself lasted only a few minutes before adjournment.

As always, HICN encourages residents to pay attention to even the short meetings. Sometimes the quickest meetings involve some of the biggest long term infrastructure decisions and taxpayer investments.

05/22/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 | 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

After questions were raised about a Warren meeting streamed online this week, town officials have now clarified the situation to HICN.

According to the Town Clerk:
• An Executive Session was held first
• A public Special Session opened afterward at 5:00 PM
• The meeting was intentionally livestreamed
• The vote shown online occurred during the public portion of the meeting
• No separate packet or agenda existed for the Special Session itself because the materials discussed were tied to the Executive Session

That clarification answers several initial questions.

However, the situation is still drawing attention because many residents appear to have had no idea the meeting was taking place.

That may explain why so many residents were surprised after the livestream surfaced online afterward.

The meeting itself included discussion involving:
• Police pay falling behind nearby towns
• Staffing shortages
• Homeland Security / ICE-related funding programs
• Fireworks complaints
• Hiring approval for Michael Marshall

One of the biggest takeaways came when officials openly acknowledged Warren police wages are significantly behind nearby communities.

According to the discussion:
• Warren officers reportedly make around $20/hour
• Markle was referenced around $33/hour
• Andrews around $30/hour
• Roanoke around $25/hour

Officials also discussed possible federal programs that could reportedly provide:
• Up to $100,000 for police equipment and transportation
• About $7,500 per certified officer annually
• Overtime reimbursement tied to federal cooperation

The discussion painted a picture of a small town trying to balance staffing shortages, rising costs, and uncertainty surrounding future funding.

At this point, the biggest issue may simply be communication.

While town officials state the Special Session was properly advertised, many residents appear to have missed it entirely because it was not visibly promoted through the town website or page where residents commonly look for updates.

https://www.youtube.com/live/OLwHza-13EE?si=sXPdUTKueU2mpeah

05/22/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗥 | 𝟯 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗧

When Hoosiers head to the polls this November, there will be more than just candidates on the ballot.

Indiana voters will also decide two proposed Constitutional Amendments and whether an Indiana Tax Court judge should remain in office.

HICN reviewed the official public questions currently listed through Indiana’s voter portal and state election information.

Here is the simple breakdown.

𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 #𝟭
𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗬 𝗕𝗔𝗜𝗟?

Currently under the Indiana Constitution, only people charged with:

Murder
Treason

can automatically be denied bail under certain circumstances.

This proposed amendment would expand that authority to include other serious crimes if:

the evidence is strong, AND
prosecutors prove the person poses a danger to the public or another individual.
𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀:

Judges could keep more potentially dangerous defendants in jail before trial instead of allowing bond release.

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆:
It improves public safety.
Dangerous offenders should not automatically get bond.
Judges need more flexibility.
𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆:
It increases government detention power.
People could sit in jail before being convicted.
It weakens “innocent until proven guilty” concerns.
𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 #𝟮
𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗕𝗘 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘?

This amendment would loosen residency rules for city and town court judges.

Right now, judges generally must live in the same county where the court is located.

The amendment would allow judges to instead live:

in the county where the court exists, OR
in a bordering county closest to that city or town.
𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀:

Indiana is asking voters whether smaller communities should have a larger pool of people eligible to serve as judges.

𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆:
Smaller towns struggle finding judges.
More qualified candidates could apply.
Modern commuting makes strict residency less important.
𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆:
Judges should live directly in the communities they serve.
Local representation matters.
𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡 𝗟. 𝗠𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗠 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗘?

Voters will also decide whether Indiana Tax Court Judge Justin L. McAdam should remain on the bench.

This is called a judicial retention vote.

There is no opposing candidate.

𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗘:
YES = keep him in office
NO = remove him from office

The Indiana Tax Court handles cases involving:

Property taxes
State tax disputes
Tax rulings and appeals
𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘

Ballot questions often receive far less public attention than candidate races, but Constitutional Amendments can have long-term impacts on:

criminal justice,
judicial authority,
and local government operations.

Many voters skip these questions simply because they are lengthy and confusing on the ballot itself.

HICN will likely break these down further closer to Election Day as public debate begins increasing statewide.

05/21/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 | 𝗛𝗖𝗖𝗦𝗖 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧𝗦

Huntington County Community School Corporation held a Special Session on May 19 following an Executive Session at Huntington North High School.

While the meeting itself lasted less than 30 minutes, several major personnel changes were approved.

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗛𝗥 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗

The board approved BreAnne Dyer as the new Director of Human Resources.

Dyer currently serves as principal at Flint Springs and gave an emotional statement during the meeting discussing the difficulty of leaving the school after six years. According to the meeting transcript, district leadership stated her official contract begins July 1, but she may begin helping at Central Office earlier on a daily rate basis.

HICN has heard ongoing community chatter that the previous HR Director may have been let go, though no public explanation or discussion occurred during the meeting.

As of now, the district has not publicly clarified the reason for the leadership change.

𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗗𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧

The board also approved Jami Craft as the new Huntington North High School Assistant Principal.

Craft currently serves as principal at Roanoke Elementary. District leadership repeatedly praised her energy, leadership style, and prior experience at Huntington North during the meeting transcript.

That move now leaves Roanoke Elementary needing a new principal while Flint Springs also searches for new leadership.

Superintendent Chuck Brimbury stated interview committees will be assembled and said the district hopes to fill both openings by the end of June.

𝗞𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧

The board also approved a contracted services agreement with Kenneth Hanson for June 2026.

According to Brimbury, Hanson is transitioning from North Miami Schools and may split time between districts during June before officially beginning full-time July 1.

𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗨𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡

HICN again experienced issues downloading agenda PDFs from BoardDocs, something that has reportedly been an ongoing problem.

Additionally, the YouTube stream reportedly began with nearly two minutes of silence before microphones appeared to activate.

One board member also referenced apparent “gremlins” in the voting system during the meeting after some members reportedly could not initially see one of the recorded votes.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

While the meeting itself remained positive and professional publicly, the amount of administrative movement happening at once will likely continue fueling community questions.

Taxpayers still have very little public explanation regarding:
• Why HR leadership changed
• Whether the previous HR Director resigned or was terminated
• Why multiple positions are currently being filled through transitions or contracted agreements
• What larger restructuring may still be happening behind the scenes

For now, the board approved all items unanimously in a 5-0 vote.

𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥

This article was prepared using publicly available meeting documents, livestream audio, and transcript review.

As always, HICN welcomes corrections or clarifications from HCCSC officials, staff, or community members.

Due to livestream audio quality and transcript limitations, there may be occasional spelling errors involving names or titles. Any confirmed corrections will gladly be updated.

05/21/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 | 𝗔𝗜 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘
By Hank Miller

Recently the CEO of my employer said something that honestly stuck with me:

“AI will not take your job. The person using AI will.”

That is probably one of the most honest statements about the future of work I have heard.

For transparency purposes, yes, HICN uses AI.

But let’s clear something up because some people act like articles magically appear out of thin air.

Every article still starts with me sitting in front of a Word document typing away.

The meetings?
I attend them.

The interviews?
I do them.

The public records requests?
I file them.

The opinions?
Mine.

AI simply helps clean things up:
grammar,
spelling,
organization,
and readability.

But probably most importantly:
it helps reduce legal risk.

In today’s world, wording matters. Clarity matters. One poorly worded sentence can create problems nobody intended. AI helps tighten wording, remove confusion, and keep articles focused on facts instead of emotional reactions.

Honestly, I started using it heavily because people spent more time attacking typos than discussing the actual content of the article.

AI helps fix that.

And here is the bigger issue Huntington should start talking about:

Private industry has spent decades becoming more efficient through technology.

Factories streamlined.
Businesses automated.
Manufacturing reduced waste.
Smaller teams now do jobs that once required far more people.

Meanwhile government often keeps growing.

More administration.
More departments.
More spending.
More staff.

Taxpayers constantly hear:
“We need more people.”
“We need more money.”
“We need more funding.”

Why?

If technology is making nearly every industry more efficient, local government should be having the same conversation.

The City should be exploring AI.
The County should be exploring AI.
Schools should be exploring AI.

Not to replace every worker.
Not to remove human oversight.

But to reduce repetitive work, improve communication, organize information faster, and operate more efficiently for taxpayers.

Because whether people like it or not, AI is not going away.

The communities that learn how to use it responsibly will move forward.

The ones that refuse to adapt will eventually fall behind.

05/21/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 | 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗕𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗢 𝗙𝗔𝗥

As of this afternoon, only ONE candidate has officially filed for Huntington County Community School Board.

According to the current filing list, James Garwood has filed for HCCSC District 3 as a non-partisan candidate.

With all the public frustration, debates, and social media opinions surrounding the school system lately, the lack of candidates so far is… interesting.

Candidate filing is now open and runs through NOON on June 15, 2026, so there is still time for additional candidates to enter the race.

We will continue tracking filings as they come in.

05/21/2026

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗥

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗔
𝗛𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬
𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘
𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞?

Most people hear “tax sale” and immediately think the county is auctioning off houses.

That is not exactly what is happening.

Huntington County recently published notice of a Commissioners’ Certificate Sale scheduled for:

• June 10, 2026
• 10:00 AM
• GAR Room, 2nd Floor of the Courthouse

Only THREE properties currently appear on the list.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦

• 1204 Grayston Ave
• 703 S Jefferson St
• 606 Cline St

Minimum bids on the properties currently start at $1,000.

𝗦𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗡?

These properties had unpaid property taxes or special assessments.

The properties were previously offered during a tax sale but did not receive bids high enough to satisfy legal requirements.

Now the county is offering “tax sale certificates” again through a Commissioners’ Certificate Sale process.

𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧:

Buying at a tax sale does NOT necessarily mean you instantly own the house or property.

Instead, the winning bidder is essentially buying the county’s tax lien interest connected to unpaid taxes.

After the sale, the original property owner still has time to “redeem” the property by paying:
• delinquent taxes
• penalties
• interest
• legal fees
• title search costs
• additional county costs

If the owner redeems the property:
the investor typically gets repaid with interest and fees.

If the owner DOES NOT redeem the property:
the investor may eventually pursue a tax deed and potentially gain ownership rights later through the legal process.

𝗦𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗗𝗢 𝗣𝗘𝗢𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗫 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦?

Usually for one of two reasons:

• Investment returns through redemption interest and fees
OR
• Potential long-term acquisition of property

𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘

One important thing the public should understand about tax sale properties:

Do NOT assume you are simply buying a “cheap house” with no strings attached.

Many tax sale properties end up on the county’s radar for reasons beyond unpaid taxes, including:
• unsafe structures
• code violations
• neglect
• nuisance complaints
• demolition concerns
• repeated cleanup issues

In many cases, local government ultimately expects these properties to either:
• be properly repaired and improved
OR
• eventually demolished if they continue deteriorating.

HICN has personally observed situations where neglected properties and citizen complaints later ended up back on the Huntington County Commissioners agenda for discussion, enforcement action, or ongoing nuisance concerns.

That can become both expensive and very public.

So while tax sales may look attractive to investors on paper, buyers should absolutely:
• inspect properties carefully
• research liens and violations
• understand county expectations
• evaluate repair costs realistically
• understand the legal process before bidding

Sometimes “cheap” properties become very expensive problems.

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦

Tax sales can impact:
• neighborhoods
• abandoned homes
• property upkeep
• local investment
• housing conditions
• taxpayer recovery of unpaid taxes

This is also one of those government processes many residents hear about but rarely fully understand.

HICN will continue trying to simplify complicated local government processes so taxpayers understand:
• what is happening
• why it matters
• and how it affects the community.

Huntington Indiana Citizen News - HICN

05/25/2026

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