West Virginia Auditor JB McCuskey joined members of the West Virginia Municipal League this week in St. Albans to celebrate the passage of a bill that will streamline the tax sale process by consolidating what have traditionally been called sheriff’s tax sales and auditor’s tax sales, into one sale conducted by the auditor’s office. This gives cities the opportunity to tear dilapidated structures down more quickly. After the auditor sale, the time for the purchaser to get the deed has been reduced by as much as six months, according to McCuskey, which will greatly reduce the risk for properties to become dilapidated. The auditor’s office said one in 15 properties in the state are abandoned. One of the properties planned to be cleaned up is an abandoned house on 4th Avenue in St. Albans. Mayor Scott James told WCHS TV that the city plans to have it demolished by the end of the week.