§ 141.760 RSMo — Administration of delinquent tax lands by trust

It shall be the duty of such land trust to administer the tax delinquent lands, as follows:

(1) Such land trust shall immediately assume possession and control of all real estate acquired by it under the provisions of sections 141.210 to 141.810 , cause the land commissioner to proceed to inventory such land, and thereafter keep and maintain a perpetual inventory of such real estate;

(2) It shall, upon recommendation of the land commissioner, classify such land as to its use, into the following three classifications:

(a) Suitable for private use;

(b) Suitable for public use;

(c) Not usable in its present condition or situation and held as a public land reserve;

(3) Such land trust shall make every effort to return land in classification (a) to such private ownership and use as soon as possible; to offer land classified in class (b) to any public body which shall indicate a need or a use therefor; the price and terms, in each case, to be in the sole discretion of the land trustees, subject to the provisions of subdivision (4) hereof; and shall study and make recommendations to taxing authorities as to possible use of real estate classified in class (c). In furtherance of this object such land trust shall have access to any and all records in any city or county office at any time and may call upon any and all city and county officers, departments, boards, planning commissions or other commissions for studies, statistics or recommendations. Such land trust shall prepare a list of all land in class (a), which list shall be corrected and amended from time to time in the discretion of the trustees. Such trustees may make a charge, not to exceed the actual cost of documentation and duplication, for each copy of such list which money shall be used to help defray the costs of preparing such list. Any person may purchase a copy of such list. Any real estate agent or broker licensed to do business in the county may when authorized by the trustees sell any such property upon the terms and conditions imposed by the trustees, and the trustees are authorized and empowered to pay reasonable real estate commissions; and provided that nothing herein shall prohibit the trustees from selling or exchanging any such real estate directly to or with any purchaser;

(4) Such land trustees shall have power, and it shall be their duty, to manage, maintain, protect, rent, lease, repair, insure, alter, sell, trade, exchange or otherwise dispose of any such real estate, on such terms and conditions as may be determined in the sole discretion of the trustees. Said trustees may sell for cash or for terms of not less than ten percent cash at time of purchase, and the balance to be paid within not more than fifteen years from the time of such purchasing agreement, with interest at a legal rate, which sale shall be represented by contract for a deed or by purchaser's note, secured by mortgage or deed of trust on such real estate. Such land trustees may assemble tracts or parcels of real estate for public parks or other public purposes and to such end may exchange parcels, and otherwise effectuate such purposes by agreement with any taxing authority;

(5) Such land trust shall adopt rules and regulations in harmony with sections 141.210 to 141.810 , and shall keep records of all its transactions, which records shall be open to inspection of any taxing authority in the county at any time. There shall be an annual audit of the affairs, accounts, expenses, and financial transactions of such land trust by certified public accountants as of December thirty-first of each year, which accountants shall be employed by the trustees on or before November first of each year, and certified copies thereof shall be furnished to the appointing authorities described in section 141.720 , and shall be available for public inspection at the offices of such appointing authorities.