Selling Old Stuff For New School Bonner County District Auction To Raise Money For Elementary

The Bonner County School District is selling off old lockers, sinks, toilet paper dispensers and even an industrial-sized electric potato peeler to raise cash for a new elementary school.

The district had more than 1,000 surplus items, most of it junk, stuffed into an old gym.

Instead of hauling the used equipment to the dump, district officials decided to auction off the property today. The money raised will help build the $1.5 million Kootenai Elementary School, which residents were promised three years ago.

“We could have just loaded all this stuff in a Dumpster, but what we look at as junk might be gold to someone else,” said Sid Rayfield, the district’s maintenance and operations manager. “Hopefully we stand to make a buck or two for the new school.”

The Hobart electric potato peeler has been one of the hot items, Rayfield said. Several people already have called the auction company and the district about it.

The machine was used years ago when the district made its own french fries and mashed potatoes for school lunches. The need to peel thousands of spuds was eliminated with the advent of frozen and instant foods, Rayfield said.

The machine could sell for more than $1,000. The district also will sell hundreds of outdated computers, phones, a basketball scoreboard and even a 10-foot wooden merry-go-round.

“It’s not in good shape at all. It’s unsafe, as a matter of fact, but you never know who might want this stuff,” Rayfield said.

The junk was stored at an old gym where Kootenai Elementary School used to stand. It had to be moved because construction of the new four-room school is supposed to start in June.

The city of Sandpoint has joined the auction to raise a little cash of its own. The city’s top item is a classic 1948 American LaFrance fire truck.

The city bought the open cab pumper when it was new. Now it’s obsolete, mainly used in parades, and is taking up space.

“In a way I hate to see it go. There’s a lot of memories in that truck,” said firefighter Loren Kenworthy. He’s been with the fire department 28 years and trained on the truck.

“It was top of the line when we got it and it’s seen some awfully big fires.”

The city tried to sell the truck last year during the Lost in the ‘50s classic car show. The city pulled it off the auction block after residents complained. They said the truck had too much sentimental value to be sold.

“It has a lot of history but it’s taking up space and we need newer equipment,” Kenworthy said. “I’m sure there are a lot of fire truck buffs out there that will be interested in it.”

The minimum bid for the truck is $4,000.

, DataTimes MEMO: The auction is at the Bonner County Fairgrounds and begins at 10 a.m. Buyers can preview sale items starting at 9 a.m.