1. (A) The board of township trustees may accept, on behalf of the township, the donation by bequest, devise, deed of gift, or otherwise, of any real or personal property for any township use. When the township has property, including motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, and tools, that the board, by resolution, finds is not needed for public use, is obsolete, or is unfit for the use for which it was acquired, the board may sell and convey that property or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with this section. Except as otherwise provided in sections 505.08, 505.101, and 505.102 of the Revised Code, the sale or other disposition of unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use property shall be made in accordance with one of the following:

   1. (1) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in the opinion of the board, in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars, the sale shall be by public auction or by sealed bid to the highest bidder. The board shall publish notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale once a week for two weeks in a newspaper published, or of general circulation, in the township, and shall post a typewritten or printed notice of the time, place, and manner of the sale in the office of the board for at least ten days prior to the sale. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper published or of general circulation in the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

      1. (a) It is published at least two weeks before the sale of the property.
      2. (b) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.
      3. (c) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.
      4. (d) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site. If the board conducts the sale of the property by sealed bid, the form of the bid shall be as prescribed by the board, and each bid shall contain the name of the person submitting it. Bids received shall be opened and tabulated at the time stated in the published and posted notices. The property shall be sold to the highest bidder, except that the board may reject all bids and hold another sale, by public auction or sealed bid, in the manner prescribed by this section.

   2. (2) If the fair market value of property to be sold is, in the opinion of the board, two thousand five hundred dollars or less, the board may do either of the following:

      1. (a) Sell the property by private sale, without advertisement or public notification;

      2. (b) Donate the property to an eligible nonprofit organization that is located in this state and is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and (c)(3). Before donating any property under this division, the board shall adopt a resolution expressing its intent to make unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use township property available to these organizations. The resolution shall include guidelines and procedures the board considers to be necessary to implement the donation program and shall indicate whether the township will conduct the donation program or the board will contract with a representative to conduct it. If a representative is known when the resolution is adopted, the resolution shall provide contact information such as the representative's name, address, and telephone number. The resolution shall include within its procedures a requirement that any nonprofit organization desiring to obtain donated property under this division shall submit a written notice to the board or its representative. The written notice shall include evidence that the organization is a nonprofit organization that is located in this state and is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and (c)(3); a description of the organization's primary purpose; a description of the type or types of property the organization needs; and the name, address, and telephone number of a person designated by the organization's governing board to receive donated property and to serve as its agent. After adoption of the resolution, the board shall publish, in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, notice of its intent to donate unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use township property to eligible nonprofit organizations. The notice shall include a summary of the information provided in the resolution and shall be published at least twice. A similar notice also shall be posted continually in the board's office. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

         1. (i) It is published at least two weeks before the donation of the property.
         2. (ii) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.
         3. (iii) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.
         4. (iv) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site. The board or its representatives shall maintain a list of all nonprofit organizations that notify the board or its representative of their desire to obtain donated property under this division and that the board or its representative determines to be eligible, in accordance with the requirements set forth in this section and in the donation program's guidelines and procedures, to receive donated property. The board or its representative also shall maintain a list of all township property the board finds to be unneeded, obsolete, or unfit for use and to be available for donation under this division. The list shall be posted continually in a conspicuous location in the board's office, and, if the township maintains a web site on the internet, the list shall be posted continually at that web site. An item of property on the list shall be donated to the eligible nonprofit organization that first declares to the board or its representative its desire to obtain the item unless the board previously has established, by resolution, a list of eligible nonprofit organizations that shall be given priority with respect to the item's donation. Priority may be given on the basis that the purposes of a nonprofit organization have a direct relationship to specific public purposes of programs provided or administered by the board. A resolution giving priority to certain nonprofit organizations with respect to the donation of an item of property shall specify the reasons why the organizations are given that priority.
   3. (3) If the board finds, by resolution, that the township has motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools that are not needed or are unfit for public use, and the board wishes to sell the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the person or firm from which it proposes to purchase other motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, the board may offer to sell the motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to that person or firm, and to have the selling price credited to the person or firm against the purchase price of other motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools.
   4. (4) If the board advertises for bids for the sale of new motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools to the township, it may include in the same advertisement a notice of the willingness of the board to accept bids for the purchase of township-owned motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools that are obsolete or not needed for public use, and to have the amount of those bids subtracted from the selling price of the new motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, or tools, as a means of determining the lowest responsible bidder.
   5. (5) When a township has title to real property, the board of township trustees, by resolution, may authorize the transfer and conveyance of that property to any other political subdivision of the state upon such terms as are agreed to between the board and the legislative authority of that political subdivision.
   6. (6) When a township has title to real property and the board of township trustees wishes to sell or otherwise transfer the property, the board, upon a unanimous vote of its members and by resolution, may authorize the transfer and conveyance of that real property to any person upon whatever terms are agreed to between the board and that person.
   7. (7) If the board of township trustees determines that township personal property is not needed for public use, or is obsolete or unfit for the use for which it was acquired, and that the property has no value, the board may discard or salvage that property.
2. (B) When the board has offered property at public auction under this section and has not received an acceptable offer, the board, by resolution, may enter into a contract, without advertising or bidding, for the sale of that property. The resolution shall specify a minimum acceptable price and the minimum acceptable terms for the contract. The minimum acceptable price shall not be lower than the minimum price established for the public auction.
3. (C) Members of the board shall consult with the Ohio ethics commission and comply with the provisions of Chapters 102. and 2921. of the Revised Code, with respect to any sale or donation under division (A)(2) of this section to a nonprofit organization of which a township trustee, any member of the township trustee's family, or any business associate of the township trustee is a trustee, officer, board member, or employee.

4. (D) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in division (A) or (B) of this section and regardless of the property's value, the board may sell personal property, including motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, tools, or supplies, that is not needed for public use, is obsolete, or is unfit for the use for which it was acquired, by internet auction. The board shall adopt, during each calendar year, a resolution expressing its intent to sell that property by internet auction. The resolution shall include a description of how the auctions will be conducted and shall specify the number of days for bidding on the property, which shall be no less than ten days, including Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The resolution shall indicate whether the township will conduct the auction or the board will contract with a representative to conduct the auction and shall establish the general terms and conditions of sale. If a representative is known when the resolution is adopted, the resolution shall provide contact information such as the representative's name, address, and telephone number. After adoption of the resolution, the board shall publish, in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, notice of its intent to sell unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use township personal property by internet auction. The notice shall include a summary of the information provided in the resolution and shall be published at least twice. A similar notice also shall be posted continually throughout the calendar year in a conspicuous place in the board's office. The board may also cause notice to be inserted in trade papers or other publications designated by it or to be distributed by electronic means, including posting the notice on the board's internet web site. If the board posts the notice on its web site, it may eliminate the second notice otherwise required to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township, provided that the first notice published in such newspaper meets all of the following requirements:

   1. (1) It is published at least two weeks before the internet auction begins.
   2. (2) It includes a statement that the notice is posted on the board's internet web site.
   3. (3) It includes the internet address of the board's internet web site.
   4. (4) It includes instructions describing how the notice may be accessed on the board's internet web site. When property is to be sold by internet auction, the board or its representative may establish a minimum price that will be accepted for specific items and may establish any other terms and conditions for the particular sale, including requirements for pick-up or delivery, method of payment, and sales tax. This type of information shall be provided on the internet at the time of the auction and may be provided before that time upon request, after the terms and conditions have been determined by the board or its representative.

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation. Last updated October 29, 2021 at 4:06 PM