LEWISTON – Working with the city pays off, councilors told a property owner with past-due taxes Tuesday night.

The City Council agreed to move forward with the sale of four tax-acquired properties and to demolish three other buildings taken over after the owners failed to pay their property taxes.

But they agreed to let Eric Rickard work out a plan to pay off the $1,956 past-due taxes on his apartment building at 266 Lincoln St. The review of mature property tax liens was the last item councilors tackled on their agenda Tuesday night, and they didn’t begin discussing the matter until 10:45 p.m.

Rickard sat patiently through the entire meeting, which began at 7 p.m.

“I have to say, I have a lot of faith in someone who’s willing to wait four hours to work out something with the city,” Councilor Robert Reed said.

The city has a list of about 47 mature liens, according to City Treasurer Paul Labreque. That means the city has had liens on the properties for more than two years and can sell it any day to begin collecting those back taxes.

City staff works to put many taxpayers onto payment programs, allowing them to pay off their taxes over time. Homeowners can pay lowered payments for up to six months. After that, they’d have to get on a payment program to bring them up to date within 30 months.

All but seven of the mature liens on the city’s books have worked out payment plans with the city.

Staff hasn’t had any luck settling those liens, Labreque said. Once the tax lien has been mature for 60 days, the city can begin preparations to sell the property and settle the tax bill.

“We don’t try to acquire these properties,” he said. “Most times, we’re able to work something out or they get sold on their own and we get paid back. Something usually happens to work this out.”

Rickard’s situation was different. His building is a two-family dwelling on Franklin Property Trust land. Rickard said he was unaware of the past-due taxes on the property until recently. He also owes $8,000 in back rent to the trust and has worked out a payment plan to settle that debt.

Three other buildings on Franklin Trust land won’t share that fate. The city plans to demolish buildings at 7 Lincoln Drive, 251 Lincoln St. and 162 Oxford St.

Councilors questioned spending money to make the property more marketable to the land-owning trust.

Planning Director Gil Arsenault said it made sense to get rid of the properties because they are dangerous buildings.

“I think we need to be aggressive on these properties, and demolish them when we have the opportunity,” he said.