U.S. Water News Online
SUBLIMITY, Ore. -- When the city council decided to sell this small town's obsolete water tower on eBay, they knew there could be a snag.
Now they've run into one -- the auction winner has disappeared.
The winning bidder has missed a deadline to submit a contract detailing plans for removal of the 120-foot tower, which is what the city really wanted in the first place.
Hitting the June 30 mark was a requisite for the sale on the online auction site. Town officials have been unsuccessful in trying to reach Michael Duhrkoop, the 20 year old from Eagle Creek who won with a bid of $212.50.
Duhrkoop's phone number has been disconnected, and he has not responded to e-mails from the city or newspaper. And Sublimity officials don't expect him to resurface.
``I personally believe it's unlikely,'' City Councilor Josh Williams said. ``But at the same time, I hope he does.''
No money was exchanged in the deal, although Duhrkoop did visit the rural town 15 miles east of Salem shortly after the auction ended May 24.
Word spread that he intended to sell the 50,000-gallon steel tank to a Boise shopping mall that wanted it for advertising purposes. The structure has gone unused since 1999, when the town upgraded its water system.
City officials say they will now contact the next-highest online bidder and hope for better results.
City officials put the tower up for auction May 14 as a less costly way of getting rid of it, after getting estimates that dismantling and moving it could cost up to $20,000.
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