|
By MARILYN MEYER
FLORIDA TODAY
The goodies, many of them
well-used, have been piling up in the two years since the city of
Palm Bay last auctioned off its surplus and seized items.
Now, hundreds of items have been processed for an auction,
scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Palm Bay Maintenance
Facility. The maintenance facility is at approximately 5 miles
west of the interstate.
The auction
had been scheduled twice before, but was postponed once because of
Hurricane Frances and the second time because of Hurricane Jeanne.
Auction items include heavy equipment, trucks and SUVs, tractors,
cars and vans; trailers, implements and equipment; generators,
compressors, pumps and motors; office equipment and furniture; and
jewelry, 38 camera, 60 cell phones, collectible coins, two sets of
golf clubs and bags, electronics and more.
While the city lists
some of the equipment in good condition or fair condition, some of
it is in poor condition, including nearly half of the 43 chairs up
for bids. |
"We always have a
really great turnout, especially on a Saturday," said Bobbye
Marsala, the city's purchasing manager, "The gates open at 9 for
everyone to come in and take a look before the auction starts at
10 a.m.".
A couple of items would have been in extremely hot
demand during the recent hurricanes - generators, including a
Cummins 350-kilowatt generator with 1,083 hours on it and an Onan
85-kilowatt generator with trailer.
There
are 26 cars and vans, most of them in the 100,000-mile range, and
21 trucks, SUVs and buses. For example, there's a 1992
four-cylinder Chevy Corsica with only 58,000 miles and a 1992
Toyota Camry with a rebuilt engine and leather seats with 147,000
miles on it.
In the who-can-use this category, there's a 1988
1-ton ambulance with 94,000 miles on it; a 1981 and a 1983 pumper
with fire apparatus; and an Aeroil tar emulsion heating unit.
The jewelry, coins, golf clubs, much of the electronics and such
come from the police departments' property and evidence room,
Marsala said.
|
"Throughout the year, we make arrests and recover what we believe
to be stolen property," said Lt. Dough Dechenne, police spokesman.
"If we are unable to locate a true owner, then the property goes
to public auction." If the property
is recovered during an arrest, the police department must hold it
for at least 90 days after the case has gone through court or been
disposed. But, in reality, property owners typically have longer
to reclaim their items since the auctions usually are held once a
year or when enough items accumulate, Dechenne said.
In a
twist of irony, the police department's for-sale list includes a
fuzz buster and a radar detector. A complete list of items on the
auction block and of terms of sales may be found online at the
city's web page, palmbayflorida.org.
If you are
considering one of the high-mileage items or other equipment, be
forewarned, everything is on an "as is, where is" basis.
Karlin Daniel & Associates of Stuart are handling the auction.
Questions may be addressed to the auctioneering firm at
772-220-2557 or 800-329-0036.
|
