Town of Salmon Arm holds silent auction to tackle backlog of unclaimed stolen items – Salmon Arm News

Photo: Luc Rempel

The City of Salmon Arm will hold a two-day silent auction in July to address a four-year backlog of unclaimed stolen items.

At the June 24 Salmon Arm City Council meeting, a motion was passed to approve a silent auction at Salmon Arm Public Works to dispose of the large quantity of items.

Darin Gerow, highways and parks director, said when police recover a stolen item and the item is not claimed within 90 days, it is transferred to the city’s possession.

And after four years, the number of objects transferred to the city has reached a fairly significant level, with more than 270 lots available.

Items up for auction include bicycles, generators, lawn mowers, weed eaters, pressure washers and much more.

“We would also like to include in this auction other unused or surplus materials and equipment that are no longer used or needed for public works operations,” Gerow said.

He told the council that the public works department does not have the staff to hold this type of auction every year, but thanks to temporary relief workers, they were able to complete the cataloging and organizing necessary for it. organization of the auction.

According to a report prepared for council, the administration will consider proposing a future policy giving city staff the authority to take care of this type of property sooner, thereby avoiding a future backlog.

Proceeds from the auction will be held for six months before being allocated to a municipal fund.

“If someone comes forward and sees their item during the sale, we will sell it,” explained Chelsea Van de Capelle, financial director. “They could potentially buy it, but they would reap the benefits.” »

Anything not sold at auction will be up for sale at a Town of Salmon Arm yard sale in August. Any items that are still not sold will be donated to a local thrift store or, as a last resort, sent to the landfill.

The council voted unanimously to approve the silent auction. The event will take place in July, but the exact date has yet to be determined.