The Union County School District has turned to the Internet to sell surplus equipment.

Finance director Lynn Lawson told The Union County Board of School Trustees Monday that the district has entered into an agreement with govdeals.com. The web site allows government agencies to sell confiscated and surplus vehicles and equipment on-line.

Lawson said that in the past the district would hold auctions on Saturday morning and only a few people would show up. He said an auction on govdeals.com routinely attracts thousands of potential bidders from all 50 states and 19 other countries. In addition to increasing the likelihood of finding a buyer, Lawson said the on-line auctions cost less. The web site charges a fee of 7.5 percent of the closing price. There are no licensing fees and no charge if the sale is not completed.

Currently 135 municipal and county governments, school districts, law enforcement agencies, libraries, water and sewer districts and other agencies use govdeals.com. Among its clients are the City of Union, Union County, the South Carolina Association of Counties, and the State of South Carolina Surplus Property Office.

Lawson said the first items the district will sell through govdeals.com will be eight maintenance vehicles and two activity cars. The maintenance vehicles are no longer needed due to the reorganization of the maintenance department. The cars were previously used in driver’s education but are no longer needed.