2.70.030 Sale at public auction
   A.   The City Manager upon receipt of the list of unclaimed property, shall determine therefrom the unclaimed bicycles that have been held by the Police Department for a period of at least three months and all other unclaimed property that has been held at least four months, whereupon the City Manager shall cause the unclaimed property so held to be sold at public auction.
   B.   Notice of such sale, describing the property in sufficient detail for its identification, shall be prepared by the City Manager or his/her designee, and the notice signed by the Chief of Police, which notice of the sale shall be given at least five days before the time fixed therefor by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City.
   C.   If, after five days following the publication of the notice, no owner appears and proves his ownership of the property and the person who found or saved the property pays the cost of the publication, the title shall vest in the person who found or saved the property unless the property was found in the course of employment by an employee of the City in which case the property shall be sold at public auction or transferred for the use of any department of the City. Title to the property shall not vest in the person who found or saved the property unless the cost of publication is first paid to the Treasurer of the City prior to the sale at public auction.
   D.   No City officer or employee shall directly or indirectly submit a bid for the purchase of the unclaimed property at the sale if he has authorized, conducted or administered, or participated in the preparation or conduct of the sale in his official capacity.
   E.   The property so offered for sale shall be sold to the highest bidder for cash or other form of payment that may be approved by the City Manager.
(Ord. 3273, 7-14-72; Ord. 2121, 6-19-56, )