BRUNSWICK, Maine — Surplus Navy equipment left behind when the Department of Defense closed Brunswick Naval Air Station is being auctioned off, with the proceeds to benefit the civilian redevelopment effort of the base.
The first phase of the online auction features fire trucks and heavy-duty equipment such as generators and power converters.
Steve Levesque, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which is the organization that now governs activity at the former Navy airfield, said the equipment was transferred to his organization after no one in the Department of Defense claimed it. Levesque said most of the equipment could be of value to airports, municipalities and county governments in Maine, who have already been invited to bid on the items.
“We’re starting with some of the larger rolling stock,” said Levesque. “Once we get done with the rolling stock we’ll be auctioning off some furniture, filing cabinets, computers and things like that. Anyone can bid on these items.”
Available in the first round of bidding, which ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, are a Grove hydraulic man-lift and a pull-behind sweeper machine, neither of which had attracted a bid of more than $340 as of Wednesday morning.
Items in later rounds, which kick off on Thursday and end on Aug. 22, include an industrial air conditioning unit, trailer-mounted power transformers, a tire mounter and balancer, utility trailers, a Snap-On digital oscilloscope, heavy-duty generators, a fuel truck, a sewer removal truck, fire trucks, mowing equipment, Dodge utility truck beds and plowing equipment including two large snow-blower trucks. The items can be viewed at the website govliquidation.com by choosing “Maine” in the pull-down menu next to where it says “Search for Surplus by Location.”
Levesque said potential bidders can arrange to view the items for sale by calling the MRRA office at 798-6512.
Levesque said the MRRA opted to keep some of the former military equipment and has already purchased some airport maintenance and winter weather equipment with grant money from the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Try again i just bid on two items
http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/search?cmd=results&searchparam_warehouse=72707&sort_column=close_time,event_id,lot_number
I find it very interesting that Steve Levesque would want to see the equipment, fire trucks and snow removal equipment, related to keeping the runways safe and open sold by the U S Government. True the quipment is old, but if it still works, then why attempt to get rid of it. Then there is the question, does the Town of Brunswick have the funding to replace these items in an effort to keep the runways in operation so the runways, taxi ways and ramp areas can be developed to improve business and employement at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.
Looking at all of the descriptions of the items most if not all say “missing parts, “unknown running condition” etc… Sounds like they kept what was worth fixing or already in serviceable condition and auctioning off the stuff that is to far gone to fix..Unless you need parts to a specific model 1994 diesel runway tanker.
Bravofour, what you say is correct for some items. Talked with someone who worked with the Navy Brunswick Base Fire Department regarding the fire fighting equipment. I was informed that the fire fighting equipment and snow removal equipment was in working order when the U S Navy turned it over with the base. On the other hand the other items not working would be great training material if a Technical School was to move onto the property for Mechnical or Automotive Repair. Since I worked DOD Civil Service for the U S Navy for 24 years I found the Navy would get rid of something just to get something new even thou the old was either still working or was in repairable condition. Maybe this a good example of our tax dollars at work. Thanks for your comments.
No waste of government dollars here. Thanks Steve for the heads up.