def # 203 10/26/11

ONLINE AUCTION BRINGS IN $171,000 TO OCEAN COUNTY

TOMS RIVER - Ocean County continues to have success with using online auctions to sell county items no longer needed for public use.

"This is the fourth year we have tapped into the technology of the World Wide Web when it comes to disposing of surplus equipment no longer needed for public use," said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. "I am happy to announce that the recent online auction brought in $171,000 that will be deposited in the county’s treasury."

Vicari noted that the online auctions have given the county an opportunity to tap into a much larger pool of bidders, which tends to result in a more competitive auction.

"People across the world can bid on a golf cart, industrial sized lawn mower or a street sweeper. The accessibility to the items that are on the website makes the process much more convenient," Vicari said.

More than 70 surplus items were sold during the online auction including passenger buses, dump trucks, front-end loaders, a bench grinder and a power washer.

"Items go to surplus when they are no longer needed for public use," said Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr., who serves as liaison to the county’s Purchasing Department. "In some instances, when the cost of repairs on a piece of equipment becomes prohibitive we look to sell the items because they are just no longer feasible for the county to keep them."

The online auction was conducted by Auction Liquidation Services at the website www.USGovBid.com. They are authorized by the state to conduct online auctions.

The auctioneer is responsible for providing photos and descriptions of each of the items online and for posting all the terms and conditions of the sale.

Ocean County usually holds a surplus equipment auction in the spring and again in the fall.

"The online auction has provided us with a much larger field of bidders and more competitive bids," Vicari said. "The total received by the County shows this process is successful."

---