Gorden Ormesher Sr., went to the Kootenai County property auction Friday just to make sure the county didn’t sell his property.

“I have a high distrust of public officials,” he said, as the auctioneer began his sing-song sale of several properties that the county has seized because of unpaid taxes.

At the top of the list was a $117,208 home that Ormesher owns near Hayden. Ormesher was able to get it crossed off the list because it’s in the process of being sold.

The county originally planned to sell four parcels of Ormesher’s because he attempted to pay $16,532 owed in back taxes with a promissory note. The county refused to recognize the note.

The debts on his three other properties have been paid in officially recognized currency.

The county made a few thousand dollars on the half dozen properties it sold at its annual auction. Commissioner Bob Macdonald called it one of the leanest county auctions in years.

, DataTimes