After one year from the purchase by a city or town of any parcels of land for nonpayment of taxes, if the treasurer is of the opinion that the parcels are of insufficient value to meet the taxes, interest, and charges and all subsequent taxes and assessments, together with the expenses of a foreclosure under § 44-9-25, and that the facts essential to the validity of the tax title on the lands have been adequately established, he or she may sell all the parcels, severally or together, at public auction to the highest bidder, first giving notice of the time and place of sale by publication in some public newspaper at least once a week for three (3) successive weeks before the sale, the first publication of which shall be at least twenty-one (21) days before the day of sale, including the day of the first publication in the computation. The treasurer at the auction may reject any bid which he or she deems inadequate. The treasurer shall execute and deliver to the highest bidder, whose bid has not been rejected as inadequate, a deed without covenant, except that the sale has in all particulars been conducted according to law. The deed shall not be valid unless recorded within sixty (60) days after the sale. Title taken pursuant to a sale under this section shall be absolute upon the recording of the deed of the treasurer in the proper registry of deeds within sixty (60) days (Forms 11 to 13).
History of Section.
G.L. 1938, ch. 32, § 54; P.L. 1946, ch. 1800, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 44-9-36; P.L. 1965, ch. 178, § 1.