WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Land Reutilization Corp., also known as a land bank, is eyeing eight deteriorating properties in multiple areas of the county for removal or renovation.

The county land bank was established in August, and officials are ready to begin making improvements to local townships and villages by acquiring and razing dilapidated and abandoned buildings in the county. The organization held a planning meeting earlier this week to discuss eligible properties and additional funding opportunities that will aid them in their endeavor.

County Treasurer Taylor Abbott, chairman of the board, said the group has secured $500,000 in funding from the Ohio Department of Development for demolition but is looking to submit applications for additional funding of around $1 million.

“We’re going to request more money for demolition and money for ground building remediation, which are properties that have environmental issues that need to be properly abated,” he said.

Abbott said they have identified eight qualified properties in Woodsfield, Sardis, Beallsville and Clarington that they are ready to take on. It is yet to be determined whether each property will be demolished or renovated.

The Monroe County Port Authority has identified the former elementary school in Clarington for asbestos abatement and is among the eight eligible properties. Abbott said they are working on an estimate for asbestos removal. The former school, which closed several years ago, will be one of the more expensive properties the board intends to raze.

“Right out of the gate, we’re going to focus on some of the smaller properties but we’re still going to pursue fully demolishing that building with the help of additional funding we hope to get from the state,” he said, adding that former schools in Woodsfield and Beallsville are also being considered as projects.

Additionally, there are 40-50 other properties the land bank has identified that are both abandoned and delinquent; however, those properties must still go through the foreclosure process, Abbott said. If they fail to sell, they can then become property of the land bank. Once that happens, the land bank will determine whether to tear the structure down or renovate it. The properties will then be either sold or offered to the adjoining landowner, which is the ultimate goal.

“That provides more income to the county because they are just sitting there rotting away. No one is paying any taxes on them. They’re not doing anything but causing more blight, and property values plummet. The whole goal of the land bank is to proactively respond to blight in the county and get these properties back into responsible taxpayer hands,” he said.

County residents with delinquent or dilapidated properties they no longer feel are worth keeping or that they cannot afford to tear down can contact the land bank for assistance. The interested party can donate the property to the land bank, which will take over the responsibility.

“We did have a property owner that has a dilapidated property that he has no interest in and does not want to pursue trying to do anything with it, so he is going to deed it to the land bank. That is one of the great opportunities with a land bank, that if someone has a property that they’re delinquent on and the property is rundown, they owe more than it’s worth and they either can’t afford to or have no intention of renovating it, they can consider donating to the land bank as a tax deductible donation. In the end, both sides win. We can clean up the blight, and we can then put it back into the taxpayers’ hands,” he said.

Those interested can call Abbott at his office at 740-472-1521.

Abbott noted that the land bank is unable to acquire a property just because it is in poor condition or is not being maintained so long as the taxes are being paid.

“We cannot do anything about that, it is up to the individual municipality or the local government at that point. The only way the land bank can take on a property is if it is both delinquent and abandoned,” he said.

Abbott said he looks forward to the board of commissioners’ next meeting, when the land bank will be finalized.

“We’re in a great position here and are looking forward to getting it started and moving the county forward in this regard,” he added.

The land bank will hold its first organizational meeting at 10 a.m. Monday inside the commissioners’ meeting room at the Monroe County Courthouse in Woodsfield.