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LEWISBORO, N.Y. The Lewisboro Highway Department is taking to the Internet in an effort to sell off some of its old vehicles and equipment, while raising a bit of money for the town coffers at the same time.
Highway Superintendent Peter Ripperger told the town board this week that while the highway department sells off old equipment every year, it doesnt usually earn very much money doing it. But by employing a website called AuctionsInternational.com, the items will be exposed to more potential buyers and are likely to garner more money in the bidding process.
I think it will be triple what we normally would get by just putting ads in a couple of newspapers, Ripperger said.
AuctionsInternational.com specializes in auctioning government trucks, heavy equipment, construction machinery, autos and buildings and grounds equipment.
Using the online auction site wouldnt cost the town much money, Ripperger said. It charges a flat fee of $30 for vehicles and $10 for pallets. It also charges the buyers 10 percent of the purchase cost. Sellers can also set reserves a minimum sale price for their items.
All we have to do is take some pictures (of the items) and put them online, Ripperger said. Ive called some other towns that use it and theyre happy with it.
Ripperger presented a list of items hed like to sell and the board approved a trial run for the auction site. The items include a 1987 Mac dump truck, a 1998 3500 Chevy dump truck with a plow, a sander truck and the towns old vac truck.
Everything runs, but not well, Ripperger said. But they could entice people for their parts.
Ripperger encouraged the board to ask the maintenance department and parks and recreation departments to go through the town barn and clear up the space by finding equipment that could be sold on the auction site.
Once the vehicles are sold, the superintendent noted, it will save the town even more money when they come off the insurance policy.
Ripperger added that there are no shipping costs involved for the town. Buyers have to come to Lewisboro and pick up any items theyve won within five days of the auctions closing.
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