§ 45-209. Sale of unredeemed vehicles at compound—Generally.

(a)

Any motor vehicle stored at a city compound for a period of 60 days, the owner of which, whether known or not known, having failed or refused within such time to claim or reclaim such motor vehicle, shall be sold at public auction, as herein provided, to satisfy the towage and storage lien.

(b)

After a motor vehicle has been stored at a city compound for a period of 60 days, the chief of police shall prepare a list of all such motor vehicles so stored, giving the make, model, type, body style and other details and shall deliver such list to the director of the treasury department. All auctions of such motor vehicles shall be conducted under the supervision and direction of the director of the treasury department.

(c)

The director of the treasury department shall give 30 days' notice of the time and the place of the sale of such motor vehicles and a descriptive list of same to be offered for sale by posting such notice of sale at the courthouse door of Harris County, and at two other public places in the city, and a copy of such notice shall be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the owner of each vehicle so listed on the notice of sale, in the event the name of the owner is known to the director of the treasury department, or such name can be ascertained by him by the exercise of reasonable diligence. At the time and place so stated in such notice, each motor vehicle shall be offered for sale for cash at public auction and the director of the treasury department shall accept the highest bid for the motor vehicle. Each motor vehicle shall be sold separately.

(d)

The public auction for the sale of such motor vehicles shall be conducted at the compound or at any other place so designated by the director of the treasury department in such notice and shall be at the time designated in such notice, and all sales shall be final.

(Code 1968, § 46-190)