The City will take custody of all personal property, including lost money, lawfully coming into the possession of the City and City employees in the course of municipal operations and remaining unclaimed by its owner. The City must keep a record of the property, including its disposition.
A. Storage of Property: The City department who takes possession of the property shall arrange for its storage in a safe place for a period of three (3) months, unless claimed by the true owner with satisfactory proof of ownership. If storage at City facilities is unavailable or inadequate, arrangements for storage at privately owned facilities may be arranged.
B. Reclamation by Owner: The owner of the property may claim the property by exhibiting satisfactory proof of ownership and paying the City any storage or maintenance costs incurred by the City. A receipt for the property shall be obtained upon release to the owner.
C. Disposition of Property: Property held by the City and not claimed by the true owner within three (3) months of collection will be deemed abandoned. The City may dispose of abandoned property in one (1) of the following ways:
1. Sell the property at a public sale following ten (10) days published notice in the official newspaper;
2. Return the lost property or funds to its finder;
3. Convert usable property to City use;
4. Donate the property to a tax-exempt, non-profit organization; or
5. Scrap unusable property or property of little or no value.
Property not purchased at a public sale may then be disposed of by the City in any reasonable manner.
D. Summary Disposal: The City may dispose of unclaimed property without notice and in a summary manner when the City believes this to be in the public interest and if the City determines that the property:
1. Is of a dangerous or perishable nature;
2. Is contraband;
3. Has no resale value; or
4. Cannot be legally or safely sold at a public sale.
E. Proceeds of Sale: Net proceeds from the sale of abandoned or unclaimed property after deduction of storage costs and any costs of sale incurred, if any, shall be deposited into the treasury of the City, subject to the right of the former owner to payment of the sale price to them from the fund, less the storage costs and any costs of the sale, upon application and satisfactory proof of ownership within six (6) months of the sale.
F. Special Provisions; Police Department: Money and other property lawfully seized by, or voluntarily surrendered to the City at the scene of a crime or during an official police investigation must be retained by the Public Safety Director in a safe place until a legal disposition is determined, or the property is deemed abandoned under subsection C above. If not lawfully claimed by the true owner with adequate proof of ownership during the three-month reclamation period outlined in subsection C, non-monetary property may be disposed of pursuant to subsections C and D above. Sale proceeds or seized money shall be deposited into the Police Department’s forfeiture and seizure account to be used only for law enforcement purposes, or as otherwise specified by state law.
G. Disposition of Abandoned Motor Vehicles: The City must dispose of abandoned motor vehicles by following the procedure in Minnesota Statutes Sections 168B.01 through 168B.101.