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Cottage Grove council votes 5–2 to regain and auction city shower trailer after heated debate
Summary
After hours of public comment and council debate over liability, budget pressure and nonprofit investment, the Cottage Grove City Council directed staff to regain possession of a city‑owned shower trailer and auction it at the earliest available date.
The Cottage Grove City Council voted 5–2 to direct the city manager to reclaim a city‑owned shower and restroom trailer and auction it off, ending months of discussion over whether the trailer should remain under city control, be gifted to a local nonprofit or be sold to raise funds.
The trailer was purchased in December 2020 for $59,929 and had been operated by Community Sharing under an agreement that expired Dec. 31, 2022. City Manager Sauerweig told the council the city pays about $25.60 an hour for 2–3 hours of weekly cleaning and listed last year’s insurance premium for the trailer as $366.77. Staff presented two options: renew the expired agreement or transfer ownership by bill of sale, and said an auction was another option the council could add.
Community Sharing’s representative, identifying himself in the meeting as Mister Flack, urged the council not to auction the trailer, saying the nonprofit had poured substantial resources into the program and "we expect to be reimbursed." The representative told the council, “I quickly went through our books ... we have a significant investment into this,” and opposed stripping the nonprofit of that investment if the city sold the asset.
Councilors were sharply divided. Several members said the city should not keep an asset that exposes taxpayers to ongoing liability while the general fund faces a shortfall; one councilor called the nonprofit’s reimbursement demand “reprehensible.” Other councilors argued the trailer supplies an important service to vulnerable residents, citing volunteers and volunteers’ positive experiences operating weekly showers. Councilors also discussed alternatives including auction, gifting, rental or a formal sale with reimbursement negotiations.
When the motion was put to a voice vote, the measure carried 5 to 2. The council’s action instructs the city manager to advise staff on regaining control and possession of the trailer and to arrange an auction at the earliest available date. The transcript records the 5–2 outcome but does not include an itemized roll call for the vote in the excerpt provided.
Next steps: city staff will work with the city manager to regain possession as directed and return to council as needed with details on timing, legal steps and any claims for reimbursement by Community Sharing.
