State of Montana repurposes surplus at annual auction

From corkscrews to firetrucks, more than 1,200 items are being auctioned at the State of Montana Surplus Property Auction.

Allie Kaiser MTN News

The auction is run through the General Services Division of the Department of Administration.

Cars lined the streets around 16 W Custer, where the property is stored.

Allie Kaiser MTN News

The auction is online only, but people can look at the items Thursday and Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Auction items include anything with a title not slated for use by any entity other than the state like totaled cop cars or filing cabinets that have been replaced.

Allie Kaiser MTN News

"It's not waste. It's repurposing and finding new homes for the materials we have at the state. That cyclical process is pretty steady, so I think this is a really responsible program to address that," said Janna Williams, communications director for the Department of Administration.

Revenue from an item will go directly back to the state agency that was no longer using it and each item has a starting bid of one dollar.

Allie Kaiser MTN News

The online auction will start closing at 1:00 PM on Saturday, but bidding wars may continue after.

Allie Kaiser MTN News

To register a bid or learn about payment methods and the removal schedule, visit pateauction.com .