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Going once . . . going twice
<<Sounds of auctioneer>>
Narrator Says:
It’s a win-win situation.
Inventory Specialist Lidia Gonzalez Says:
We really never know what’s going to show up, a lot of times people just drop off stuff.
Narrator Says:
For DOT's Fleet Division, it’s a chance to recoup some money for items that would other-wise have to be scrapped, and for the public a chance to do some bargain hunting.
Auctioneer Says:
Item number one has been sold to bidder number 350, 350’s winning bid $101 even, moving on in your catalog.
Narrator Says:
About every month, the Fleet Division holds what’s called a spot bid auction. What’s for sale? Well it ranges from the abundant and mundane, like these computer monitors.
Inventory Specialist C.J. Jones Says:
This is probably, we have acquired at least 200 monitors.
Narrator Says:
To the rare and interesting, like this 1850’s Saxon artillery sword, not to mention the popular and fast-selling.
Inventory Specialist C.J. Jones Says:
This is what we call the wine cellar.
Narrator Says:
No, the county doesn’t sell wine.
Inventory Specialist C.J. Jones Says:
We have a whole host of laptop computers, and I would say at the March 14th sale, we’ll probably put out about a third of them, and those will really go fast.
Narrator Says:
Everything goes in a spot-bid format, meaning everyone throws their bids into the hat, and the highest bid wins.
Auctioneer Says:
Fold it over, put it into the hat, and whoever’s the highest bidder wins that item, O.K.? Any questions comments, concerns?
Narrator Says:
Typically the field includes those popular laptops, the aforementioned monitors, office furniture, computer set-ups, and assorted jewelry. And occasionally an extra-large item will come through.
Inventory Specialist C.J. Jones Says:
This will be in our march 14th auction, this is a beautiful piece.
Narrator Says:
This plotter that outlived its usefulness ended up fetching the most money for any single item.
Auctioneer Says:
Item number 18 has been sold to bidder number 351, 351’s winning bid $1,186 and 8 cents.
Narrator Says:
Other unusual items don’t sell for quite so much.
Inventory Specialist Lidia Gonzalez Says:
These came out from the courthouse, which is obviously really old, coat racks, and these two are going to go in the auction.
Narrator Says:
The winning bid on these antiquated oak coat racks, only about 50-dollars apiece, which is pretty good considering how long they’ve been at the courthouse. How about this clearly-outdated industrial paint sprayer? It sold for a dollar. And what about the 150-year-old sword? It snatched almost $90.
Auctioneer Says:
Item number 13 has been sold to bidder number 106, 106’s winning bid, $87.50, 87 dollars and 50 cents.
Narrator Says:
All told, after selling items from a dollar to almost 12-hundred, the March 14th auction raked in a grand total of $3,681 and 38 cents. If you’d like to take part in the spot auctions, you can find information, as well as the next auction date at metrokc.gov/auction.
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