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By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune October 22. 2014 4:31PM Neighboring ex-commissioner owed back taxes Former Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson said he is paying off nearly $15,000 in unpaid property taxes and fees that he owed to Jackson County. Robertson fell behind on property tax payments in 2010, and as of this week he owed Jackson County $14,993 in taxes and fees on eight properties, according to the Jackson County Taxation Office. The Mail Tribune contacted Robertson on Tuesday about the money he owed Jackson County. On Wednesday, Robertson called to say he had directed his attorney to pay off the taxes and fees on Wednesday. "They'll be paid and current," he said. Robertson said the properties are undeveloped lots in White City that could be used as sites for townhouses. A local builder is interested in buying all eight lots but wants to make sure the back taxes and fees are paid off before moving forward on sales negotiations, he said. "It all came together. Now everybody's happy — except me because I had to write the check," he said with a laugh. Robertson said he had paid the property taxes for years on the lots but then slipped behind on payments. "We went through the ups and downs of the economy," he said, noting he had hoped the properties would sell earlier. Robertson retired this summer after spending more than 30 years as a Douglas County commissioner. Upon retirement, he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, including an adult son who is experiencing complications from a head injury he suffered four years ago. Robertson said he has been working to clean up the White City properties and address the issue of the taxes and fees. "My retirement came at a fortuitous time in terms of dealing with that situation," he said. Jackson County Taxation Office Supervisor Jeanne Heard said the county started a foreclosure process on the properties in May of this year. The properties were put in a two-year redemption period in which Robertson was able to pay off the taxes and fees without losing the land. During his time as a Douglas County commissioner and president of the Association of O&C Counties, Robertson was credited with helping to secure federal payments for counties hard-hit by falling timber harvests. He was an advocate of plans to boost logging on federal land so timber harvest revenues would be high enough to support county services. Reach reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected].     http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141022/NEWS/141029866 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->