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Township auctions off equipment, evidence
Officials hope to make the auction a regular activity.
LIBERTY — Township officials spent the day cleaning house and offering a few sweet deals to area residents.
The township had the first of what officials hope will be an annual auction of surplus equipment and other items kept in storage at the government center. Some of the items had been there for up to seven years.
Dozens of prospective buyers gathered in the parking lot to the rear of the township administration building Monday with numbered bidding cards in hand.
Up for grabs were seven township vehicles, confiscated jewelry, new clothing, furniture, used electronics and power tools. There were even the leftover lights and power supply from a marijuana-growing operation busted up by township police.
Auctions by Ulrich conducted the bidding process.
Trustee Jack Simon perused the items being offered. He said the township could have sold the items in an online auction, but the local method is more expedient and will likely garner a greater net gain for Liberty.
Simon said it would be nice to clear out merchandise up to twice a year.
Acting Police Chief Richard Tisone said many of the items sold had been recovered in crimes where no victim could be located. Other items had been confiscated, but insurance already had covered the loss and no one claimed the merchandise.
“The bottom line is that we had a lot of merchandise that was unclaimed,” Tisone said. “We’ve been cleaning out the evidence room getting rid of stuff and hope to do this every year.”
Dozens of items sat in the township garage, but the vehicles are what made officials decide to have the auction.
“What really prompted this is that we suspended the take-home policy for police cars and that left us with the cars we have here,” Tisone added. “It started with the police cars, then the fire department came in, and the road department came with cars to get rid of, also.”
Township officials hoped to make between $6,000 and $7,000 on all the merchandise, but by the auction’s halfway mark the township had made about $10,000 just on the vehicles.
Tisone said all money raised will be divided among the various township departments. He said there is no special use for the funds.
“It will be used for whatever comes down the road,” he said. “I don’t have any plans right now, but it can definitely offset some future expenses.”
jgoodwin@vindy.com