By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The town is getting ready to sell the old Massena Museum and is planning next month to auction some of the inventory they feel they no longer need.

Town Supervisor Joseph Gray said the building’s sale and auction proceeds will pay for moving from the old 200 East Orvis St. location to the Celine Philibert Cultural Center and Museum on Main Street.

The old museum is appraised at $135,000, he said.

“We had people interested in it,” Gray said.

The relocation and preparation of the Philibert center is around $20,000, he said.

The Massena Historical Society could be in the new building by September, he added.

The board will advertise for bids from realtors to list and sell the building with an Aug. 15 deadline.

The board discussed what to do with things like an old hearse. Gray suggested keeping it outside, but Councilman Albert Nicola said that may not be a good plan.

“The first thing you have to worry about is vandalism,” Nicola said.

“It’s a different world Albert, you’re right,” Gray said.

The auction will be in Ogdensburg, tentatively Aug. 31.

Auctioneer Ray Chapman was the only auctioneer out of three who replied to the town, Gray said.

He will charge the town a 20 percent commission and $100 in transport fees. If they get more than $5,000, he will charge 18.5 percent and wave the fee.

There is some excess office furniture that the town may donate. Board members said they will reach out to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Massena and NYSARC.

In addition, the Town Council agreed to pay $1,685 plus $360 annually in monitoring fees to Adirondack Alarms. They will install cameras and alarms at the museum and monitor them. NCC Systems currently provides the service at the Massena Museum, but it wasn’t clear to the board if the service would carry over to the Philibert center or cost them extra.

“I want those cameras monitored the minute they switch on,” Gray said.