(a) On or before October 15 of each year, the county shall cause to be offered for sale at public auction all properties which it has purchased at tax sale and which are no longer subject to redemption. One (1) or more of the properties may be so offered at such other times as the county executive may determine. Each such property shall be offered at such auction at an upset price equal in amount to all taxes and assessments thereon which are due and unpaid, together with interest thereon to the date of the sale, plus all costs and penalties allowable by law, plus the cost of advertising and selling such property at auction sale. Upon a finding by the county executive that such upset price is, in the case of a particular piece of property, either too high or too low, the county executive may, by regulation fix an upset price at a figure other than that provided for in this section; provided, that such finding and the basis therefor are recited in the regulation. At any time prior to the date of any such auction the county executive may withdraw any of the properties from the sale for the purpose of
(1) Conveying properties to any governmental agency or political subdivision; or
(2) For retention for use by the county; or
(3) Whenever there was no bid equal to or greater than the upset price at a previous public auction, the county executive may dispose of the property in the manner prescribed by subsection(b) of this section.
(b) After any such property has been offered for sale at public auction one (1) or more times, it may be sold at private sale at the best price obtainable by the county executive, subject to the approval of the council. (Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 2-132; 1935, ch. 542; 1969 L.M.C., ch. 40, § 4; 2016 L.M.C., ch. 7, § 2.)