City of Isanti, MN Chapter 312 Unclaimed Property

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Isanti 7-20-2021 by Ord. No. 761. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 312-1 Custody of property.

The Chief of Police or designee will take custody of all personal property, including lost money, lawfully coming into the possession of the City and City employees in the course of municipal operations and remaining unclaimed by the owner. The Chief of Police or designee must retain the property in a safe place for a period of at least 90 days, unless claimed by the true owner with satisfactory proof of ownership. The Chief or designee must keep a record of the property, including its disposition.

§ 312-2 Disposition of property.

A. Property held in custody by the Chief of Police or designee and not claimed by the true owner within 90 days will be deemed abandoned. The Chief of Police or designee may dispose of abandoned property in one of the following ways:

(1) Sell the property at public sale following 10 days' published notice in the official newspaper;

(2) Return lost property to its finder;

(3) Convert usable property to City use; or

(4) Donate the property to a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.

B. Property not purchased at a sale may then be disposed of by the Chief or designee in any reasonable manner.

§ 312-3 Summary disposal.

The Chief of Police or designee may dispose of unclaimed property without notice and in a summary manner when he/she believes this to be in the public interest and if he/she determines that the property:

A. Is of a dangerous or perishable nature;

B. Is contraband;

C. Has no resale value; or

D. Cannot be legally or safely sold at public sale.

§ 312-4 Disposition of funds.

Together with found money that has been held for three months, the Chief of Police or designee must deliver all money that was received from the sale of abandoned property to the Finance Director. If no claim has been made by the former owner with satisfactory proof of ownership, found money may be returned to the finder; otherwise, the money will revert to the City's general fund.

§ 312-5 Special circumstances; proceeds deposited with Police Department.

Money and other property lawfully seized by, or voluntarily surrendered to, the City at the scene of a crime or during an official police investigation must be retained by the Chief of Police or designee in a safe place for at least 90 days. If not lawfully claimed by the true owner with adequate proof of ownership during that time, nonmonetary property may be sold at public sale after 10 days' published notice, converted to City use, or given to a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. Sale proceeds and seized money may then be deposited in the Police Department forfeiture and seizure account to be used only for law enforcement purposes.

§ 312-6 Disposition of abandoned motor vehicles.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

The Chief of Police or designee must dispose of abandoned motor vehicles by following the procedure in Minn. Stat. §§ 168B.01 through 168B.16.