Silent auction eyed for former fire station sale (12/17/03)

Portland Board of Works members voted today to recommend that a silent auction be used to sell the former Portland Fire Station.

The board’s recommendation to sell the South Commerce Street building by silent auction will be sent to the Portland City Council for consideration at its Monday, Jan. 5 meeting.

The city’s legal policy on selling real estate states that the building can be sold using a public auction or a silent auction.

If the city council opts to sell the building at public auction, an auctioneer will need to be hired. A silent auction is conducted by publicly announcing the sale and accepting written bids for no more than 60 days after the announcement. All bidders submitting written bids may increase their bids until the time of the sale is closed.

“I think (a silent auction) will work better than paying an (auctioneer) ... We will save ourselves considerable money,” board member Bob McCreery said during today’s meeting.

The building is valued between $97,500 and $100,000 following two recent appraisals. A joint appraisal will be submitted to the city to determine the value of the building.

Also today, board members discussed the donation of the former H&H Poultry building to the city from Hy-Line International, West Des Moines, Iowa, which owns the 509 S. Wayne St. building.

The board also decided to pass this decision onto the city council for its approval of the donation.

If accepted by the city, the building — which was appraised at approximately $284,351 — will be used for park and street departments storage, Portland Mayor Jim Hedges said.

In other business, board members voted to use $17,314 in the city’s general fund for the Portland Police Department for the possible purchase of a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria for that department. This price, submitted by Les Wenning Motors Inc., Fort Recovery, also includes the trade-in value of the department’s 2000 Ford Crown Victoria. The 2000 car, with approximately 98,000 miles on it, has been having mechanical problems, Portland Police Chief Bart Darby said today.

Board members McCreery, Hedges and Councilman Glen Bryant did not approve the purchase of the car. They agreed they will allow new city and police department administrators to approve the purchase in 2004.

Quotes on the car purchase also were submitted by Ken Kunkle Chevrolet, Portland; Fincannon Ford-Mercury, Hartford City; and Shifferly Dodge Inc., Decatur.[[In-content Ad]]