Bonner County discusses surplus-auction process, preview days and staffing strains at busy transfer sites

Bonner County staff and commissioners discussed how to handle surplus county property, including whether to use the county’s online auction system or request a live auction with an on-site preview day, and staff said two transfer sites are so busy they are struggling to maintain adequate staffing.

Why it matters: The surplus-auction method affects how quickly county property is sold and how much revenue it generates; staffing shortages affect service levels at busy transfer sites during peak season.

On surplus property, staff explained county policy requires items to be listed on the county’s online surplus website "as is," but commissioners said online listings often reduce buyer interest without a preview opportunity. One participant (Speaker 5) said a live auction allowed the county to dispose of many items quickly in the past. Commissioners requested staff ask procurement (Bill Wilson was named in the discussion) whether a live auction is possible and consider a preview day before an online auction to allow public inspection.

On staffing, staff (Speaker 5) said the Auburn and Jumper sites are having trouble keeping enough workers because they are busy and that the department may request an additional seasonal position now rather than waiting for the next fiscal year. A staff member also said the department is exploring a point-of-sale system to eliminate handwritten receipts at some sites to speed transactions.

Directives recorded in the transcript included staff agreeing to email revenue/expense details, follow up with procurement about live auctions, and prepare a staffing analysis demonstrating whether an immediate seasonal hire is needed within the current fiscal year.