Miami University is preparing to host its annual spring auction of surplus property Saturday, May 16 at Millett Hall.
The department of purchasing and central services hopes to find a new home for old items, according to Clarence Blevins, a physical facilities staff member who works on transporting and storing surplus property until the auction.
According to Bill Shawver, director of purchasing and central services, Miami has been hosting auctions of surplus property twice a year for at least 30 years. Their intention is to responsibly dispose of surplus property under the state's guidelines.
"The auction is our primary event of disposing the property in a public fashion," Shawver said.
Purchasers range from individuals to larger lots such as restaurants, depending on the listed items, according to Shawver.
Blevins said Oxford and Hamilton residents make up most of the attendees, but in his 16 years of experience he has seen individuals come from out of state when valuable items are up for bidding.
"The two auctions combined can generate revenue from $80,000 to $130,000, which is redistributed to general educational and general funds as well as auxiliary funds to support housing and dining services," Shawver said.
According to Shawver, the money is reallocated to the departments who donate numerous items for the auction. The auction is open to the public, offering items varying from furniture and automobiles to lawn mowers and tents left over from sporting events.
Physical facilities staff members will be collecting items throughApril 27.
According to both Blevins and Shawver, some changes were made to the auction's preparation procedures last year including the allotment of more time for departments to get a feel for the items offered.
"People used to look at things Thursday and bid on them Friday," Blevins said. "It seemed like we were spinning our wheels a lot and moving things when we didn't need to."
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Shawver said in order to increase convenience, departments seeking office furniture with the potential of being repurposed may contact Linda Fry of the physical facilities department.
"We store this furniture on campus and when someone needs something they let me know and the truck crew delivers it for no cost," Fry said.
With the changes, interior designers can keep tabs on the items collected throughout the year, helping departments in need get an idea of what is available to suit their needs, Shawver said.
Shawver said he does not expect a change in attendance due to the economic crisis, but said he is looking into the possibility of further advertising the scope and breadth of inventory known to the general public.
"We are looking into the use of government Web sites with online auctioning to attempt to target more specific items with unique niche audiences and get them more national exposure," Shawver said.
Shawyer said the university will focus on being more strategic with internal recycling during these difficult times. Specifically, interior designers will provide departments with ideas of how to repurpose furniture rather than purchasing new items. The spring surplus auction is open to the public and will be held at 9 a.m., May 16 at Millett Hall. Bidders will register and inventory will be auctioned off by a third-party auctioneer.
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