Township Surplus Vehicles Up for Auction

In the market for a new car? You might be able to buy one courtesy of the township.

Township officials are holding their first online auction on GovDeals.com, and there are five vehicles on the table for bidding. The vehicles up for public auction are:

• 2007 Dodge Charger
• 2004 Ford Crown Victoria
• 2003 Ford Crown Victoria
• 1999 Ford Crown Victoria
• 1996 Jeep Cherokee 4x4

Bidding is open until Sept. 8 with scattered ending times between 6 and 7 p.m. There already are bids on the items ranging from $1,575 for the Jeep to $8,550 for the Charger. Those wishing to inspect the vehicles in person can contact Jim Distano at the Department of Public Works 973-564-7070.

Millburn officials decided to move the auctions online last spring when the Township Committee approved the partnership with GovDeals.com. The service costs a percentage of the winning bid. The 2009 auction, which was live at the Department of Public Works, for the township.

What's not up for auction just yet is the Millburn Fire Department's alarm boxes, which were taken out of service in 2009. The plan was to put up the fire alarm boxes for auction, but Fire Chief Michael Roberts said some requests need to be finalized before they are put up for bidding.

The township recently approved selling part of the system to the Teaneck Fire Department for $1. Wires, cables, repair pars and fuses were among the parts Teaneck will be using for its alarm box system. Roberts said there's a second request from a New England group that helps fire departments with similar systems. Once they determine what to do, the boxes not taken by firefighters and the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society will be up for auction, he said.