Along with other regional ski resorts, Tamarack opened its slopes for another season as a winter weather system dumped plenty of snow in the mountains. But, while Tamarack visitors have spent the past several days waxing their skis, Tamarack homeowners have been balancing their checkbooks after paying a total of $650,000 to Valley County for past-due property taxes.

Members of the Tamarack homeowners association announced in mid-October they would be taking over operations at the resort after acquiring many of the assets and agreeing to pay taxes that had been in arrears for several years. According to this week's McCall Star-News, Tamarack homeowners decided to retain 15 parcels, including the Canoe Grill, Seven Devils Pub, Sports Dome, Wildhorse Youth Activity Center and some undeveloped lots, and paid the associated property taxes to Valley County.

However, the Star-News reports, the homeowners didn't pay taxes on a number of other parcels. As a result, those properties were seized by Valley County officials on Dec. 5 and will be auctioned off in February. Those parcels include the Blue Mountain Subdivision, a former medical clinic, the former Crane Creek Market and 14 hotel units in the Lodge at Osprey Meadows. Delinquent taxes on those properties top $13 million.