(a) The Director of Public Safety may arrange for the auction of non-commercial and commercial vehicles that are impounded under the authority of these Codified Ordinances, other than vehicles subject to forfeiture under RC Chapter 2933 where the disposition of the vehicle is governed by that chapter, and that are unclaimed or abandoned and authorized to be disposed of under RC Chapter 4513 or other applicable law. The provisions of this section do not limit the authority of the Director of Public Safety to dispose of such vehicles under any contract that the Director may have entered into with motor vehicle salvage dealers or scrap metal processing facilities under the authority of division (a)(3) of section 135.42 for the disposal of such vehicles.
(b) If a vehicle is auctioned under the authority of this section, then the proceeds of the auction shall be deposited in an agency fund. The proceeds of the auction shall be disbursed from the agency fund in the following priority: the towing firm that impounded the vehicle shall be paid first, in the amount authorized for its services in these Codified Ordinances, up to the amount of the proceeds obtained. The storage company shall be paid next, in the amount authorized for its services in these Codified Ordinances, for storage for the number of days that the vehicle was stored or thirty (30) days, whichever is less, up to the amount of proceeds remaining after the towing firm is paid. Any other costs required to be paid by the City in connection with the auction shall be paid next, up to the amount of the proceeds remaining after the towing and storage firms are paid as provided in this division. Any remaining funds shall be paid to the credit of the general fund.
(c) The Director of Public Safety may allow a vendor under contract with the City under the authority of section 135.42 for the towing of commercial vehicles to itself conduct the auction of unclaimed commercial vehicles under such terms as the Director may prescribe. In any such case, the proceeds obtained at auction shall be dispersed by the vendor in the same amounts as that specified in division (b) of this section for auctions conducted by the City.
(Ord. No. 292-07. Passed 6-11-07, eff. 6-15-07)