By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH, MI – As 2026 gets underway, county residents will once again be getting help from the Berrien County Treasurer’s Office on paying their property tax bills.
County Treasurer Shelly Weich is continuing her office’s tradition of providing assistance to property owners in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. The practice was started by Weich’s predecessor, Bret Witkowski, several years ago at a time when the economy was bad and foreclosures were on the rise.
While all counties in Michigan now offer payment plans to people with delinquent taxes, Witkowski started the practice here in Berrien County before most other counties.
People stopping by the office hours around the county will find Weich prepared to help them set up a payment plan and accept money. She has a computer and printer to look up how much is owed, set up the payment plan, provide the paperwork and accept payments.
Weich has expanded the practice in recent years, not only going out to communities around the county in the first three months of each year, but also going out at other times during the year to meet with people and find ways to help them. For example, she offered assistance in the city of Niles and Niles Township on several dates last fall.
This year, Weich is scheduled to travel to 11 cities and townships in all corners of the county, visiting each municipality three times-once in January, once in February, and once in March before the March 31 foreclosure deadline.
Community visits start this week. Visits are scheduled as follows:
Jan 6 (2-4pm) – Benton Township
Jan 7 (2-4pm) – Niles City Hall
Jan 8 (2-4pm) – Chikaming Township
Jan 13 (10a-12p) – Hagar Township
Jan 14 (2-4pm) – Buchanan
Jan 15 (2-4pm) – St. Joseph City Hall
Jan 20 (2-4pm) – Benton Harbor
Jan 21 (2-4pm) – Niles Township
Jan 22 (10a-12p) – Watervliet Township
Jan 28 (2-4pm) – Royalton Township
Jan 29 (1-3pm) – Bridgman
Feb 10 (2-4pm) – Benton Township
Feb 11 (2-4pm) – Niles City Hall
Feb 12 (2-4pm) – Chikaming Township
Feb 13 (1-3pm) – Watervliet Township
Feb 17 (10a-12p) – Hagar Township
Feb 18 (2-4pm) – Buchanan
Feb 19 (2-4pm) – St. Joseph City Hall
Feb 23 (2-4pm) – Niles Township
Feb 24 (2-4pm) – Benton Harbor
Feb 25 (10a-12p) – Royalton Township
Feb 29 (1-3pm) – Bridgman
Mar 4 (2-4pm) – Niles City Hall
Mar 5 (2-4pm) – Benton Township
Mar 6 (1-3pm) – St. Joseph City Hall
Mar 10 (2-4pm) – Benton Harbor
Mar 11 (2-4pm) – Buchanan
Mar 12 (2-4pm) – Chikaming Township
Mar 13 (1-3pm) – Watervliet Township
Mar 17 (10a-12p) – Hagar Township
Mar 18 (2-4pm) – Niles Township
Mar 19 (2-4pm) – Royalton Township
Mar 20 (1-3pm) – Bridgman
No appointments are necessary for any of Weich’s community visits. People can find out more information by calling the Treasurer’s Office at 269-983-7111, ext. 8569, or visiting the www.berriencounty.org/treasurer website.
Foreclosure is a three year process. In the first year of delinquent taxes, unpaid taxes are turned over to the county treasurer for collection and interest and fees start to be added. Properties are forfeited to the county and a lien is recorded in the second year of unpaid taxes with more fees and interest added. The second year also features notification of property owners, publication of the list of properties, and personal visits to properties.
Foreclosure comes in the third year when a judge signs the foreclosure order in February and the redemption period ends on March 31. Foreclosed properties are sold in an online auction in July of that year.