MOUNT VERNON — County Treasurer Sandra Mizer announced that county first half real estate assessments, which were planned to have been in the mail by now, have been delayed. Mizer explained in a meeting with the Knox County Commissioners on Thursday that the bills, which are being printed in Newark, had to be taken out of the printing queue for a correction after it was discovered that Licking County personnel inadvertently inserted the wrong rate into properties in Licking and Knox Counties covered by the Northridge School District.

The mistake was discovered and corrected in Licking County, Mizer said, but this knocked the counties out of their place in line for printing, meaning that the statements will be later in arrival than what was originally projected. Mizer said that the bills may begin hitting the post office as early as this weekend, but some may not get out until Monday. The due date will still be Feb. 12, although this may mean that some residents receive their statements with less than 20 days notice before the due date.

“Everyone’s tax amount is available in our office,” Mizer said, inviting residents to come in to the treasurer’s office to get their tax amount.

Mizer also announced that 41 properties will be offered during an Auditor’s Sale on March 27 at the Memorial Building on East High Street. Registration is at 9 a.m., with the sale following at 9:30. Mizer said that 33 of the properties are in Apple Valley, while eight are elsewhere in the county. All local or state tax liens have been cleared on these properties, though the status of federal liens is unknown, she said. She encouraged people to check with her office about these properties and the pending sale.

Mizer also met with Commissioner Robert Wise and Commissioner Teresa Bemiller for a meeting of the investment board, where she confirmed that investment rates are still extremely low. She said that some of the best rates she was quoted were from Ohio Heritage Bank.