Auction Website a Lucrative Deal for Township

Outdated police radios, old gas masks and seized motorcycles are just a few of the items that have been auctioned off by Manchester Township. 

The township and its police department have made $23,053.20 from the sales of surplus and confiscated items on GovDeals.com, an online auction website that allows government agencies to sell any surplus and confiscated items online with individual auction rules and regulations for each entity. 

Arthur Abline, the township's emergency management coordinator, said there are two Manchester accounts that utilize the website, one being the township account and another being the Law Enforcement Trust account.

Abline has been responsible for a majority of the management of what sells on the website. For anything to be auctioned online, the must approve it first.

"[GovDeals] is so easy to use, it's the greatest thing in the world," Abline said. "The only time-consuming thing is when you upload the photos of the items that are selling, but it's great." 

Manchester went into agreement with the auction website on Oct. 28, 2010. The township account has earned $12,318.59 by selling surplus equipment, confiscated property and vehicles.

Among the items sold:

• Miscellaneous computer equipment (hard drives removed)
• 1989 Boardman fire truck
• Collectible coins
• Miscellaneous outdated police radios
• Miscellaneous siren boxes
• Outdated gas masks
• Other miscellaneous property

The township receives the majority of the money from the online sales as GovDeals charges a 7.5 percent fee off the sale price.

"By auctioning the items on this site, it enables the municipality to liquidate its surplus inventory and with the monies obtained from the sale going back into the township's general fund," Abline said. 

The Law Enforcement Trust account has earned $10,734.61 from the website, primarily by auctioning property seized by police.

Among the items sold:

• 2003 Hyundai Sante Fe
• 1995 Plymouth Acclaim
• Two 2003 Kawasaki Motorcycles
• 1998 Honda Civic
• 1998 Dodge Dakota Pickup

Money received from the sale of these items goes straight into the account used to purchase equipment for police special activities and undercover operations, Abline said. 

Items are usually on sale for one to two weeks depending on what is up for auction. 

Abline said there are nine old police cars that the township is hoping to put up for auction by this week.