The town of Wiscasset has been granted a default judgment in the town’s lawsuit against Mason Station in the amount of $846,263.    

The town filed the lawsuit December 7 in Lincoln County Superior Court, claiming Mason Station owes the town $846,263 in property and personal taxes on more than 80 properties.

Mason Station had 30 days to respond to the lawsuit and they failed to answer the complaint.

The town of Wiscasset requested a default judgment on January 25 for the overdue taxes, and on February 7, the default judgment was granted to the town by the Lincoln County Superior Court.

Because of foreclosures, the town owns all but nine of Mason Station's properties.

The town doesn’t own the Mason Station building; the taxes are being paid by Mason Station LLC on that property, that is an asset of the company, according to Town Manager Laurie Smith.

However, according to Attorney Bryan Dench, who represents the town in the lawsuit, this judgment will allow the town to collect the debt by attaching the assets from Mason Station following the procedure of the law. Dench mentioned a “Sheriff’s Sale” would be one of the town’s options.

According to Smith, it is unclear what option the town will take in collecting the $846,263. There are several options available to the town to collect the debt with the default judgment in hand.

“We are in unchartered waters here, I have never heard of a town suing in a court for unpaid taxes. It will be up to the selectmen how they want to handle it,” Smith said.