METH LEAVES ITS MARK ON ON PROPERTY

EDITOR'S NOTE: Today's edition of The Daily Post-Athenian marks the sixth
in a series on the methamphetamine problem in McMinn and Meigs counties.
Today's article deals with another potential problem caused by meth
production - the difficulty landowners could face if meth labs have been
found on their property.

Methamphetamine's impact on communities is not just limited to the drug
user's friends and family.

Landowners, particularly those who rent their property to others, could see
problems in the future arising from meth production when trying to sell
their property. That's in connection with a letter now being sent by law
enforcement agencies conducted meth lab raids.

In McMinn and Meigs counties, if a meth lab raid is conducted at a
residence, a letter is sent by the involved law enforcement agency to the
county's Property Assessor's Office, along with other state and federal
departments, where the meth lab find becomes a part of the permanent public
record.

McMinn County Property Assessor Don Cowart said the flagging of meth lab
sites will be becoming a regular activity of county property assessors'
offices all over the state.

According to McMinn County Sheriff's Department Drug Officer B.J. Johnson,
owners of properties where meth labs and associated chemicals are found are
being sent the letter of notification.

"We have a letter that states, 'This letter serves as a warning and
notification that a clandestine drug laboratory was seized and processed by
law enforcement from the McMinn County Sheriff's Department and disposed of
by a licensed hazardous waste contractor. There may be hazardous substances
or waste products at or on your property,'" Johnson said, reading from the
letter the Sheriff's Department has created.

Johnson said the letter is intended to limit liability on the part of
involved law enforcement agencies and notify the property owner and public
of possible dangers. Johnson said law enforcement can not be responsible
for residual toxic chemicals which could be left behind after authorities
complete an investigation.

According to Cowart, copies of the letter will be sent to the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration, McMinn County
Health Department, McMinn County Register of Deeds, the McMinn County
Property Assessor and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The letter will bear the law enforcement agency's incident number attached
to the related case, he said.

"The letters are just advising the legal owner of the property that a
clandestine drug laboratory and potentially hazardous materials were
discovered on the property and the date the incident occurred," said Cowart.

The meth lab information will be placed on the Real Estate Appraisal Card,
which contains all the classifications and evaluations pertaining to the
property, according to Cowart. The card is a permanent record in the
Assessor's Office and is public record for anyone to see, he said.

The REA card contains information regarding classifications and property
evaluation, according to Cowart. Drawings of the property, structures and
other features are contained on the card.

Cowart said currently no action will be taken other than the notation of a
clandestine meth lab being found in the property.

"We're not doing anything with the property value at this time," Cowart said.

Cowart said the lack of strict official guidelines leaves some questions,
though.

"Do we eventually reduce the value of that property or do we just accept
it?" he asked. "We don't know. I think the problem comes later when one of
these property owners are trying to sell their property."

Meigs County Sheriff Walter Hickman said the property where a meth lab has
been found is currently being posted with signs warning of hazardous
materials and the letter will become an additional measure taken to ensure
safety.

"When we do a meth lab, we post the property in connection with the
investigation," Hickman said.

Meigs Property Assessor Wanda Bryant said her office hasn't started
receiving letters yet.

Cowart said he anticipates property owners could have problems down the
road. He said prospective property buyers might balk at purchasing a home
that once housed a meth lab operation.

"With a real estate company, you have to file a disclosure," Cowart
observed. "To me that definitely could be a possible problem."

Cowart said future problems could come with trying to make the
determination of when properties could be occupied as habitable homes
because of possible chemical contamination of the property.

"It has been talked about in some of the assessors' meetings - about what's
being done and how other counties are handling it," Cowart said.

Officials agree clandestine methamphetamine labs present a problem
unforeseen in their effect on property owners who most often have no idea a
meth lab is suspected to be operating on property they're renting to others.

Law enforcement officials agree, the meth labs could become a thorn in many
areas of government that have never dealt with such a problem before.

Bryant observed the notations on public record could effect property
values. She said the rule was new to her and noted she hadn't started
receiving the notifications yet.