County Auction Turns Trash To Cash

County To Dispose Of Excess Property On Saturday

BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s annual surplus property auction will dispose of unwanted property and fatten the county’s coffers.

The auction is set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the county Road Department, 1206 S.W. 14th St. in Bentonville. County Judge Bob Clinard said an auction, which is not open to county employees, their families or relatives, is the process established by state law for county governments to cut property that is no longer needed.

Items offered for sale at county auctions typically include vehicles of many types, sizes and conditions, along with office equipment like desks and chairs. Everything is sold “as is” and buyers are required to remove their purchases from the site. Mike Crandall, who oversees the county’s property management, said this year’s auction includes a handful of vehicles offered for sale by Cave Springs that were seized during an investigation by the Cave Springs Police Department. The seized vehicles include a pair of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and two pickups.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has a long list of items for sale that includes some vehicles, but most of the list is miscellaneous office equipment and items from the County Jail like 17 sets of riot gear Sheriff Kelley Cradduck said will probably fetch a good price.

“It’s older equipment, which we’ve replaced,” Cradduck said. “It belonged to the jail, it was jail riot gear. The newer sets are more tactical gear, they provide more protection but they’re lighter. They also have pockets and places to put your gear in.”

That kind of equipment typically draws more interest than people might expect, Cradduck said.

“Army surplus stores, smaller departments and collectors buy a lot of this stuff,” Cradduck said.

Much of the equipment offered for sale this year had been taken out of use some time ago and simply was taking up space, Cradduck said.

“It was sitting in a trailer, not being used.” he said.

Benton County turns the money raised by the auction back to the county’s general fund and road fund. The distribution depends on which department contributed items for sale and the amount bid on those items, according to Sarah Daniels, county comptroller. The county raised $77,491.25 from its 2012 auction, $117,338.43 in 2011 and $105,466.39 in 2010, Daniels said.

Upcoming Events