Kimball to auction several town parcels June 1 in Welch

Kimball is putting several town-owned parcels up for auction, a move that could bring cash back into municipal coffers and decide whether underused land stays public or returns to private hands. The winning bidder will have to pay a 10% down payment by June 11, a condition that makes the sale more than a symbolic cleanup of the town’s inventory.

The auction is set for 5 p.m. June 1 on the steps of the McDowell County Courthouse in Welch. The notice cites West Virginia Code §8-12-18 and says the parcels will be sold by competitive bidding with a reserve, giving the town the right to turn down bids it too low. The property list includes multiple tracts and surface parcels, including land described in relation to Big Four and waters of Elkhorn Creek, pointing to a sale that reaches beyond a single small lot.

For Kimball, the sale comes as the town has been actively reworking its real-estate holdings. In February 2023, the town acquired the former Walmart property after spending two years trying to find a tenant for the building. At the time, Kimball described that purchase as an economic development opportunity for the town, McDowell County and southern West Virginia, and said proposals would be weighed on job creation, increased tax revenue and long-term sustainability. The June 1 auction appears to fit the same broader pattern of deciding which properties the town should keep, which it should market and which can be put back into circulation.

That matters in a place like Kimball, where even a few parcels can affect nearby property owners, road access and future redevelopment options. A buyer could be a local landowner looking to consolidate acreage, a developer thinking about future use, or a resident trying to secure land that has long sat in the town’s portfolio. What residents will want to watch next is not only who wins the bidding, but whether the town uses the proceeds for day-to-day needs, long-term improvements or further property planning.

The auction also lands just ahead of a busy June calendar in Kimball. The town’s June 20 schedule includes the Head of the Dragon ride, the Kimball Phoenix Festival and the Kimball Kid’s Reunion, while Mayor Adam Gianato, who has served on council since 2009, continues to lead a town government that also handles basic services such as garbage pickup and online payments.