What do San Juan County and eBay have in common?

More than one might think.

Local governments, San Juan County included, are moving away from live auctions and negotiated sales to putting surplus property on the Internet for managed, computerized auctions.  Bidders register and provide deposits, then bid over a pre-set time period, just like people bid on eBay, an online auction website, for Weller pottery. Things can get interesting at the close of the auction, when all bidders can keep bidding until five minutes pass with no higher bid entered for the item.

That’s how the liquor board sold the state-owned liquor stores recently, and that’s how Mike Copas, manager of the San Juan County Equipment Rental and Revolving Fund, plans to dispose of more than 40 items of equipment worth over $150,000. Most of the trucks, backhoes, forklifts, and other assorted equipment are now used by the Department of Public Works and managed by Copas’ equipment fund.

“It’s an experiment,” said Copas of using the fast-growing Public Surplus website to sell the equipment.

“We’ll start with just a few items and expand the sale gradually over the summer to see how it works,” said Copas, who seems pretty sure the on-line auction will result in increased revenue for the county. Copas routinely sets a minimum starting bid at 60 or 70 percent of the fair market value of the item, resulting in final bids approaching full market value.

The county council passed a resolution June 12 directing Copas to sell the surplus property, which is listed on county website here. Copas expects the first online auction to start by the end of July.