Mt. Vernon Register-News

Local

January 26, 2013

Surplus auction to be held

By TESA GLASS CNHI

MT. VERNON — The city is getting ready for a surplus property auction — and preparing for the demolition of the Horace Mann building.

“Whenever we accumulate large amounts of items that we don’t need or no longer use, we try to declare the items surplus and have an auction,” City Manager Ron Neibert said. “This time, there is a large number of bikes that were stored by the Police Department and no one claimed. ... We are clearing out Horace Mann to prepare for demolition, getting things out of there. We will use a new property for a storage area.”

More than 60 bicycles of various makes, sizes and models will be up for auction, as well as items ranging from flashlights, clothing items, audio equipment, gaming systems, games, tools, scanners and walkie talkies. Fleet services will also be including a 2003 Dodge Caravan in the auction. A full list of items is available at city hall.

The items are scheduled to be auctioned off on Feb. 9 at the I-64 Auction in Woodlawn.

Neibert said once the Horace Mann building has been emptied of contents, asbestos abatement will take place before demolition.

“We have also been in contact with District 80 asking them if there are any time capsules or items they would like salvaged from the property,” Neibert said. “We would like to save some of the more ornate features, such as the sandstone sign — we can have that cut out and salvaged so it can be incorporated on D-80 schools property as a historical momento of the facility.”

Once asbestos abatement and salvaging completed, demolition can take place.

“The plans at this time are to take down the entire structure and return the area to grass as a green space,” Neibert said. “We’re looking to start the demolition sometime in March.”

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TESA GLASS/REGISTER-NEWS
Mt. Vernon Police blocked a portion of North Ninth Street Wednesday morning about 11 a.m. after reports the brick facade of the apartment building at the corner of Ninth and Maple streets was falling to the ground. The bricks took out cable lines, awnings and were landing on the street.