LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen instructed Town Manager Carrie Castonguay on Tuesday to schedule a meeting with town officials regarding properties taken by the town for unpaid sewer fees.

According to list from Castonguay, there are 20 owners of 22 properties that have gone through the lien process. The amounts to be paid to stop foreclosure ranged from $288.29 to $6,739.50.

Totals for unpaid sewer bills ranged from $1,490.48 to $10,768.59. The dates of last payment ranged from October 2018 to Nov. 27.

The total assessed value of the properties is $1.82 million.

Castonguay asked Tammy Gray, deputy clerk and sewer clerk, to explain how the town got to this point.

Alexander Pawson, the former deputy clerk and sewer clerk, is the one who started the process, she said.

In February 2023, 30-day notices were sent to let people know the amount needed to be paid to stop the lien process. In May 2023 the liens were started, she said.

Gray said she sent notices of automatic foreclosure in October this year to 35 owners, letting them know the date was coming up. Monday was the automatic foreclosure date, she said.

Castonguay said sewer foreclosures are different than real estate foreclosures.

“It’s your discretion how you dispose of these,” she told the board. “Unfortunately, there is no waiver process at this point because there is statutory language, and the date is here. They have lapsed into the town’s possession.”

With sewer foreclosures, selectmen can work with the person and have a repurchase agreement drafted so they can retain the property, she said.

“It’s actually going to involve quite a bit of legwork on the part of office staff,” Castonguay said. “We have to set up a payment arrangement. It’s very, very well spelled out.”

Chairperson William Kenniston asked if the repurchase agreement would be for what is owed for sewer or for the value of the property.

Castonguay said it is for what is owed.

Ten properties have received notices of automatic foreclosure for their real estate taxes as well, she noted.

“We’ll have to incorporate that in as well, because we’ve already taken possession of it,” Castonguay said. “They would have to pay all the sewer arrears, the fees, costs, interest, next year’s assessment, as well as the real estate taxes, arrears, interest, and next year’s assessment, which we have to obviously estimate.”

Kenniston asked if the town could also bill for time spent on the process.

The town is allowed to charge 10% of the total value, Castonguay said.

She said she wanted to meet with selectmen, the sewer clerk, town clerk and treasurer to go through the properties one by one.

Castonguay said the town doesn’t know why the bills weren’t paid.

The board approved filing quitclaim deeds for the former Methodist church and parsonage on Church Street and 95 Park St.