WILTON — Some property owners with tax liens stemming from unpaid 2007 taxes have responded to a letter sent prior to the official notice-of-foreclosure letters planned to be mailed on Feb. 18, Town Manager Rhonda Irish told the board Tuesday.

The town had about 70 properties owing taxes from 2007 to the tune of $90,877, which with lien costs and interest applied totaled $107,582 as of the end of January.

Since the board’s last update, Irish decided to send a pre-letter to owners. About 20 property owners have responded to it bringing the number down to about 50, she said.

“A lot of people just hadn’t paid attention to it,” she said.

Since the early letter was sent some have paid off any owed taxes, and some have set up payment plans with the town, she said.

The hardest part has been explaining why previous taxes also had to be paid in order to take the lien off the property, she said. Unpaid taxes would put the property owner in the same situation next year. Some owed taxes are so old that town officials have been unable to locate the owners but continue to try.

Two of three owners of the town’s larger commercial properties, a couple owing taxes back to 2005-06, have contacted Irish and attempted to negotiate a partial payment of what is due, she said.

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