Mineral County Sheriff's Office
100 East Street
Keyser, Wv. 26726
304-788-0341 Sheriff
304-788-0441 Holding Facility
100 East Street
Keyser, Wv. 26726
304-788-0341 Sheriff
304-788-0441 Holding Facility
| MESSAGE FROM THE SHERIFF Welcome to the Mineral County Sheriff’s Department’s Web Page. Your interest in the Mineral County Sheriff’s Department is appreciated. As you look through our Web Page we encourage your comments, suggestions and the opportunity to exchange information with you. Mineral County is located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia and borders with the State of Maryland to north. We are the “Gateway to the beautiful Potomac Highlands.” Mineral County was formed out of Hampshire County in 1866 and our county seat is Keyser. Other towns in our county are Ridgeley, Piedmont, Elk Garden, Carpendale, Ft. Ashby, Wiley Ford, New Creek, Burlington, Patterson Creek, Short Gap, and Fountain. The Mineral County Sheriff’s Department serves a population of 27,000 people within 330 square miles. Sheriff Gary W. White is in his second term, running unopposed and re-elected in 2004 as a democrat. Sheriff White is the 33rd Sheriff of Mineral County and first of many Sheriff’s to follow in the new millennium. Sheriff White retired from the West Virginia State Police after serving 22 years with that agency. The Sheriff’s office is located in the Mineral County Courthouse, 150 Armstrong Street along with the tax collection office. The Law Enforcement section of the department is located in the Mineral County Detention Center located at 100 East Street. Currently Mrs. Kathy Bess is Chief Tax Deputy & Ms. Erica Leatherman is the Asst. Tax Deputy in the tax collection office and Chief Deputy Paul Sabin is in charge of the Law Enforcement section. The primary duties of the Law Enforcement section, which has nine deputies, include criminal investigation, accident investigation, drug enforcement, transporting prisoners, mental hygiene patients and extraditions, serving warrants, home confinement, enforce court orders, and bailiff duties. Currently the starting salary for a Mineral County Deputy Sheriff is $22,300.00 and after one year insurance coverage is paid for. To become a certified law enforcement officer in West Virginia a Deputy Sheriff must attend the West Virginia State Police Academy and graduate after 16 weeks of basic training. The primary duties of the Tax Office is to collect all state, county, municipal and school taxes; disburse money to the appropriate agencies in the county, maintain all tax records, enforce payment of delinquent taxes, administer the financial matters of adults who are unable to do so for themselves and issuing renewal vehicle registration. We in the Mineral County Sheriff’s Department are committed to the protection of life and property, to the prevention of crime and upholding the laws of the great state of West Virginia and the Constitution of the United States of America. |
TAX SALE
Each year, between October 14th and November 23rd, the Sheriff of Mineral County holds a tax lien sale. At this sale, the Sheriff
sells a tax lien on real estate delinquent for the prior year’s taxes to the highest bidder. The 2007 Sheriff’s tax lien sale will be for
property delinquent for the unpaid 2006 taxes.
The list of property to be offered for sale will be advertised in the Mineral Daily News Tribune several weeks before the sale. The
property owner may avoid sale by paying the taxes, interest and charges prior to the sale.
The Sheriff’s tax lien sale is not an outright sale of the real estate. Rather, it is a lien sale of delinquent property contingent upon
the former owner’s right of redemption. The statutory redemption period for property sold at a Sheriff’s sale is eighteen months.
Sheriff’s tax liens can be redeemed through the Clerk of the County Commission, Mrs. Lauren Ellifritz, by paying all taxes, fees,
interest and expenses. One percent (1%) per month interest will be added to:
1. the taxes, interest and charges paid on the date of the sale,
2. all other taxes since paid by the purchaser,
3. such additional expenses incurred by the purchaser and
4. all additional statutory costs paid by the purchaser.
Upon receipt of a redemption certificate, the sheriff will issue to the purchaser or his agent a refund for the amount of:
A. the money paid in excess of the amount of the taxes, interest and
charges,
B. the amount of taxes, interest and charges due on the date of the sale,
plus
1. interest until the redemption,
` 2. all subsequent taxes paid by the purchaser with interest from
date of payment,
3. additional expenses with interest from date of payment, and
4. all additional statutory costs paid by the purchaser.
Sheriff’s tax lien purchasers must fulfill certain requirements to secure a deed to the property from the Clerk of the County
Commission. The purchaser must do this from October 31, to December 31 of the year following the sale or loses all the benefits of
the purchase. For an explanation of what must be done to secure a deed, contact the Clerk of the County Commission, Mrs. Lauren
Ellifritz.
The tax lien purchaser is permitted to pay the subsequent year’s taxes, as they become due, in order to protect the purchase. If
such taxes are not paid, the property is again offered for sale at the Sheriff’s tax lien sale for the appropriate year.
Any lien that is not sold at the Sheriff’s sale is certified to the West Virginia State Auditor. The State Auditor is the ex-officio
Commissioner of Forfeited and Delinquent Lands. Former owners then have an eighteen month period to redeem the property
from the State Auditor’s Office.
The State supervises a second sale at the county courthouse. The parcels sold at these tax sales are delinquencies that were
certified to the State Auditor at the Sheriff’s sales and that were not redeemed from the State Auditor’s Office within the statutory
eighteen months.
These tax sales are conducted by the Deputy Commissioner of Forfeited and Delinquent Lands of Mineral County. The Deputy
Commissioner is appointed by the State Auditor.
The Deputy Commissioner’s sale is advertised in the Mineral Daily New Tribune several weeks before the sale. The former owner
can redeem by paying of taxes, interest and charges due to the Deputy Commissioner. If a property is redeemed, the property will
not be presented for sale by the Deputy Commissioner.
A Deputy Commissioner’s sale purchaser must fulfill certain requirements to secure a deed to the property from the Deputy
Commissioner. The purchaser must do this within thirty days following g the sale or loses all benefits of the purchase. For an
explanation of what must be done to secure a deed, it would be best to contact the West Virginia Auditor’s Office. A purchaser can
obtain a tax deed from the Deputy Commissioner a deed preparation fee and to pay the Clerk of the County Commission the deed
recording fee.
A tax deed, either from the Clerk of the County Commission as the result of a purchase at a Sheriff’s sale or from the Deputy
Commissioner as the result of a purchase from his sale, does not in itself convey absolute title to the property. Rather, it is a quit-
claim deed conveying whatever right, title or interest that was held by the State or one of its political subdivisions for nonpayment
of taxes. At both of these tax sales, a purchaser stands the chance of purchasing nonexistent land which was the outcome of a
double or an incorrect assessment. Although the “Buyer Beware” principle generally applies, refund statues exist for both sales.
A purchaser should contact the Sheriff and/or Deputy Commissioner on the procedure for obtaining a refund in the event that his
purchase is ascertained to be nonexistent.
West Virginia State Code Chapter 11A, Article 3 provides for both the Sheriff and Deputy Commissioner’s sales. Prospective and
actual purchasers are encouraged to read the referenced state code for a full explanation of their responsibilities and the sales
processes.
Each year, between October 14th and November 23rd, the Sheriff of Mineral County holds a tax lien sale. At this sale, the Sheriff
sells a tax lien on real estate delinquent for the prior year’s taxes to the highest bidder. The 2007 Sheriff’s tax lien sale will be for
property delinquent for the unpaid 2006 taxes.
The list of property to be offered for sale will be advertised in the Mineral Daily News Tribune several weeks before the sale. The
property owner may avoid sale by paying the taxes, interest and charges prior to the sale.
The Sheriff’s tax lien sale is not an outright sale of the real estate. Rather, it is a lien sale of delinquent property contingent upon
the former owner’s right of redemption. The statutory redemption period for property sold at a Sheriff’s sale is eighteen months.
Sheriff’s tax liens can be redeemed through the Clerk of the County Commission, Mrs. Lauren Ellifritz, by paying all taxes, fees,
interest and expenses. One percent (1%) per month interest will be added to:
1. the taxes, interest and charges paid on the date of the sale,
2. all other taxes since paid by the purchaser,
3. such additional expenses incurred by the purchaser and
4. all additional statutory costs paid by the purchaser.
Upon receipt of a redemption certificate, the sheriff will issue to the purchaser or his agent a refund for the amount of:
A. the money paid in excess of the amount of the taxes, interest and
charges,
B. the amount of taxes, interest and charges due on the date of the sale,
plus
1. interest until the redemption,
` 2. all subsequent taxes paid by the purchaser with interest from
date of payment,
3. additional expenses with interest from date of payment, and
4. all additional statutory costs paid by the purchaser.
Sheriff’s tax lien purchasers must fulfill certain requirements to secure a deed to the property from the Clerk of the County
Commission. The purchaser must do this from October 31, to December 31 of the year following the sale or loses all the benefits of
the purchase. For an explanation of what must be done to secure a deed, contact the Clerk of the County Commission, Mrs. Lauren
Ellifritz.
The tax lien purchaser is permitted to pay the subsequent year’s taxes, as they become due, in order to protect the purchase. If
such taxes are not paid, the property is again offered for sale at the Sheriff’s tax lien sale for the appropriate year.
Any lien that is not sold at the Sheriff’s sale is certified to the West Virginia State Auditor. The State Auditor is the ex-officio
Commissioner of Forfeited and Delinquent Lands. Former owners then have an eighteen month period to redeem the property
from the State Auditor’s Office.
The State supervises a second sale at the county courthouse. The parcels sold at these tax sales are delinquencies that were
certified to the State Auditor at the Sheriff’s sales and that were not redeemed from the State Auditor’s Office within the statutory
eighteen months.
These tax sales are conducted by the Deputy Commissioner of Forfeited and Delinquent Lands of Mineral County. The Deputy
Commissioner is appointed by the State Auditor.
The Deputy Commissioner’s sale is advertised in the Mineral Daily New Tribune several weeks before the sale. The former owner
can redeem by paying of taxes, interest and charges due to the Deputy Commissioner. If a property is redeemed, the property will
not be presented for sale by the Deputy Commissioner.
A Deputy Commissioner’s sale purchaser must fulfill certain requirements to secure a deed to the property from the Deputy
Commissioner. The purchaser must do this within thirty days following g the sale or loses all benefits of the purchase. For an
explanation of what must be done to secure a deed, it would be best to contact the West Virginia Auditor’s Office. A purchaser can
obtain a tax deed from the Deputy Commissioner a deed preparation fee and to pay the Clerk of the County Commission the deed
recording fee.
A tax deed, either from the Clerk of the County Commission as the result of a purchase at a Sheriff’s sale or from the Deputy
Commissioner as the result of a purchase from his sale, does not in itself convey absolute title to the property. Rather, it is a quit-
claim deed conveying whatever right, title or interest that was held by the State or one of its political subdivisions for nonpayment
of taxes. At both of these tax sales, a purchaser stands the chance of purchasing nonexistent land which was the outcome of a
double or an incorrect assessment. Although the “Buyer Beware” principle generally applies, refund statues exist for both sales.
A purchaser should contact the Sheriff and/or Deputy Commissioner on the procedure for obtaining a refund in the event that his
purchase is ascertained to be nonexistent.
West Virginia State Code Chapter 11A, Article 3 provides for both the Sheriff and Deputy Commissioner’s sales. Prospective and
actual purchasers are encouraged to read the referenced state code for a full explanation of their responsibilities and the sales
processes.
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