County’s surplus auction set for June 1

The Houston County Board of Commissioners’ annual auction of declared surplus of vehicles and miscellaneous equipment is taking place next week on Thursday, June 1, at 2022 Kings Chapel Road in Perry.

The Houston County warehouse doors will open at 9 a.m., and the auction will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Registration is from 9 to 10 a.m. Inspection is Wednesday, May 31, from 1 to 4 p.m., as well as on the day of the auction from 9 to 10 a.m. Anyone desiring to inspect said vehicles and other equipment will be able to do so at that time. Absolutely no items will be available for inspection after the sale begins.

Only severe weather will necessitate moving the auction to the rain date of Thursday, June 8, at 10 a.m. at the same location. In the event of severe weather, call the purchasing office at (478) 218-4800 to confirm whether or not the auction will proceed on this date.

Vehicles are subject to the new ad valorem tax imposed by the state of Georgia on March 1, 2013 to be paid to the tax commissioner (this is not paid at the time of auction). Vehicles are not subject to sales tax. All other items are subject to a 7 percent sales tax.

The Houston County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to accept, reject or negotiate any and all bids. Nothing is to be removed without a paid receipt. All property will be sold “as is/where is.” All items purchased must be removed from the premises by 4 p.m. on Friday, June 2. Vehicle titles and bills of sale may be picked up the day of the sale from the Houston County Purchasing Department at 2020 Kings Chapel Road. Houston County will not be responsible for any sold items after the close of the auction.

Mark Baker, purchasing agent for Houston County, said numerous lots of items will be auctioned off to the public. The vehicles will be sold first, which will include a van, Tahoes, Crown Victorias, old trucks and small pickups. Baker noted a backhoe and boom mower will also be on reserve.

“If they don’t meet a minimum reserve, we won’t sell them,” he said, adding everything else is up for grabs.

Baker said they usually get a couple of hundred people to attend each year and have very good participation. He said the money made from the auction goes back into the county’s general fund. In the last few years, the amount has been in the $30,000-plus range.

Baker said the state law requires that they sell the vehicles and equipment through auction or take sealed bids. He said an auction seems to be the better way to get immediate money.

He said it normally takes about an hour to sell the vehicles and then they come inside the warehouse to sell the various items, including computers, an old ice maker, printers, a couple of defibrillators and an ice cream churner. He said the vehicles are the biggest draw. The auction usually lasts two to three hours.

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