§ 31-57. Auction sales – In general.

(a) Director to arrange periodic sales.

The Director of Transportation shall arrange for a certain number of auction sales each year, which may not be less than 1 sale per month.

(b) Licensed auctioneers to conduct.

The sales shall be conducted through regularly licensed auctioneers of the City of Baltimore, selected by the Department of Finance in accordance with the provisions of the City Charter governing retention of services, and under the rules, regulations, and procedures that, subject to Title 4 {"Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations"} of the City General Provisions Article, the Director of Transportation adopts.

(1) In advance of the periodic sales, the Director of Transportation shall prepare a list of motor vehicles proposed to be sold at auction.

(2) The lists shall be sent to the Police Commissioner for the Commissioner's approval, on forms prepared for the Director, and no motor vehicle may be sold unless the sale has been approved by the Commissioner.

(3) The Commissioner may not withhold approval of the sale unless the motor vehicle is involved in a police matter. In that event, where practicable, the Commissioner shall take photographs of the vehicle or its parts and preserve written descriptions of it, so that the vehicle itself may be put up for sale and disposed of as soon as possible after the 45-day period.

(d) Advertising sale.

(1) All auction sales shall be under the supervision of the Department of Finance and advertised in 1 or more newspapers of general circulation throughout the Baltimore Metropolitan Area.

(2) Except as provided in § 31-58 of this subtitle, the Department may notify scrap metal processors, used car dealers, and spare parts dealers so as to endeavor to have a number of competitive bidders at each sale, it being the intent that every vehicle listed for sale at a given time shall be disposed of and removed from the auto pound, so as to prevent the storage area from becoming overcrowded.