N.C. Senator Erica Smith-Ingram’s legislative assistant, Angelicia Simmons, spoke to the Columbia Board of Aldermen and delivered a bundle of escheat letters Nov. 2.

Simmons read aloud this message from the senator: “I am eager to serve you so please do not hesitate in calling on my office for assistance. My office is currently exploring ways to maximize opportunities with Travel and Tourism, transportation options and historical preservation tax credits. I’d like to continue our relationship with town and county managers by scheduling follow-up meetings at their convenience.”

Simmons also delivered a bundle of escheat letters addressed to unfamiliar names at often outdated addresses.

Escheat is reversion of a property or moneys to the state if their owner dies intestate without any heirs, or when a bank account remains inactive for a certain number of years and efforts to contact the account holder prove fruitless. It serves to ensure that property is not left in “limbo” without recognized ownership.

Senator Smith-Ingram prepared hundreds of letters in an effort to find heirs in the seven-county Third Senatorial District she represents in the General Assembly.