Property owners will have to pay more if their real estate is sold to pay delinquent taxes.

The Shelby County Commissioners have approved a proposal by SRI Inc. of Indianapolis to boost the cost of each tax sale.

Raising the price of the sale is part of the company's new contract with the county.

Auditor Amy Glackman presented the contract to the commissioners for approval at their meeting on Monday.

“They did an addendum to their agreement. They're raising their fee from $75 per parcel to $100 a parcel. The county never has to pay for this; this all goes back on the tax bills, put it on the tax bills. So whoever buys the property, they pay that fee, they pay it all up, and then, if the homeowner redeems it, then they pay it,” she said.

If home or commercial property owners fall behind on their property taxes, county government has the authority to seize the property, sell it at auction and use the proceeds to recover the taxes owed.

SRI Inc. handles delinquent property tax sales for about 90 percent of the counties in Indiana, according to the company's website.

The commissioners approved the new contract unanimously, 3-0.

In other matters, Kem Anderson, superintendent of the County Highway Department, reported to the commissioners that crews have paved 8 miles of road this spring, despite the rains.

That's 3 miles ahead of schedule, he told the board.