Turning salvage items into cash

By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — The items salvaged from a demolished home may have monetary value.

The Casco Board of Selectmen would like to turn those salvaged treasures into cash.

Or, more likely a check made out to the town: Money to defray the costs associated with ridding the community of an eyesore and public safety hazard.

On Tuesday, the board discussed with Town Manager Dave Morton what to do with the rescued items that are now being stored at the Casco Memorial School. Among those items are a couple of wood stoves, a marble sink, a riding lawn mower and other yard work equipment.

Morton pitched to the board the idea of donating some of the salvaged stuff to the Casco-Raymond Historical Society. He also talked about Selectman Ray Grant’s brainstorm to auction off those items.

“There may be things that are there that will have a greater purpose if given to the historical society. (Those things) would have an ongoing value to the community,” Morton said.

“I am open to an idea from Ray Grant to have a bid auction for the public,” he said.

The majority of the board favored putting the items up for auction, and putting the profit towards the bills. According to Morton, it cost $400 to contract someone to remove the objects of value from the home, which was located near the corner of Route 11 and Cooks Mills Road. The building was torn down and removed last month.

“The gentleman had to cut a hole in the wall to remove the wood stove,” Morton explained.

Selectman Grant Plummer suggested posting a list of the auction articles on the town’s website.

Seeking clarification from the selectmen, Morton said, “Is the board considering giving this to the historical society?”

Plummer answered he would prefer to try to recoup the $400 first.

Earlier during the meeting, Morton had expounded on Grant’s auction idea. He recommended providing the bid items as one lot, or one pallet of items, rather than selling the stuff individually.

“It might not be worth the town’s time to sell the items separately,” he said.

“Some of the items, according to Ray, would have a greater value than I would ever imagine them to have. If you have watched some of the reality television shows, these items have value to people,” Morton said.