(or less) at Brockport auction Bikes - ones that are ready to roll and others that need maintenance and/or parts - will soon be available to the public as part of a bicycle auction being put on by the Brockport Police Department. Police Chief Dan Varrenti said that the bikes have been taking up space in the BPD basement and in department of public works buildings for some time now. "Attempts have been made to contact owners of these lost bikes but we still have many that remain unclaimed. Many of them have been abandoned and have been stored here for years," he said. Varrenti posed the idea of a bike auction at a recent village board meeting and it was unanimously approved. Sergeant Adam Mesiti said 25 bikes for children and 45 adult bikes would be available at the auction. "Some of the bikes are missing parts, some just need new tires or chains and some might just need a good washing," he said. "The auction will be an opportunity for a kid to get an inexpensive bike, repair it and make it functional." Prices for bikes at the youth auction will begin at .25 cents each. "The kids will be doing the actual bidding at the auction but we ask that an adult come with them," Mesiti said. Varrenti, who may take to the microphone as an auctioneer, has asked for police officers to volunteer their time to help out at the auction. "We're also going to ask each purchaser to take a minute to register their new bike," Varrenti said. "Every kid who buys a bike will also get a coupon for an ice cream at Seawards." The cost of the ice cream coupons will be split between Varrenti and the police department union. Adult bikes will be auctioned off with a starting bid of $1. While Varrenti said the bike auction is not being looked at as a revenue generator, the money raised during the auction will be turned over to the village. The auction also ties in nicely, Varrenti said, with this year's National Night Out whose theme is a Bike Rodeo. "We're hoping that some of the kids who buy bikes at the auction come out to participate in the bike rodeo," he said. The bike auction is scheduled for July 24 at 10 a.m. at the department of public works building at 38 East Avenue. The National Night Out festivities will be held August 3 at the Oliver Middle School. |
