Chronicle/John Speer

With the assistance of State Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Garwin) the new owners of two parcels of ground at Toledo have been revealed.

The Iowa Department of Transportation told Fisher in email responses both were sold at public electronic auction with a sale date of Jan. 20.

A tract of 46.8 acres in size on the south side of the U.S. 30 Expressway, located south and west of the Toledo Sanitary Sewer Treatment Plant, was sold the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. The final auction price was reported at $134,100.

A reply to an email request to Meskwaki Inc. officials was not received by Chronicle deadline. Tama County Assessor Records show the Sac and Fox Tribe (Meskwakis) own farm ground west of the land which was purchased.

The second tract containing 17.07 acres was purchased by Interstate Power and Light Company (Alliant Energy) for a bid of $170,700. A spokesperson for the utility company told The Chronicle the purchase was for “future electrical infrastructure,” however, “No definite plan is in place.”

He said the utility customarily purchases property when it becomes available if a future need is foreseen.

Peoples Company of Iowa, identified by the DOT as its auction consultant, did not respond to a request by The Chronicle to provide any information on the auction results of the sale despite it involving public land.

Mike Jackson, Appraisal / Property Management supervisor, IDOT Office of Right of Way, said the original property was acquired from the late Charlene Kubik.

He wrote the purchase was a “total acquisition” and the set procedure for sale of the land was followed.

Jackson wrote, “the DOT is in t he process of preparing state land patent sto the new owners.”