Committee concerned about weekend auction
By David Kilby, Special Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The Burlington County Fairgrounds has seen farm fairs, tractor pull contests and “Punkin Chunkin” events, but when a machinery consignment auction was planned for the site, the Springfield Council said hold on a minute.
The county fairgrounds on Route 206 and Jacksonville-Jobstown Road was the site for a consignment auction hosted by Alfred’s Auctions Inc., of Hightstown on Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Springfield Council meeting Nov. 1.Councilman David Frank shared his concern for the planned auction, which sold a variety of outdoor machinery and tools.
Councilman Anthony Marinello agreed that allowing the auction may be “kind of a slippery slope.”
The auction took place in the parking lot of the fairgrounds only, but Mr. Frank said it’s still an auction and the fairgrounds is only supposed to be used for civic events.
He said a flower or hay auction would be fine on the site, but a machinery consignment auction is much different.
Councilman John Hlubik said the council doesn’t know how the auction was presented, adding that it may have been presented as a farm equipment auction.
The county adopted rules about what events could take place at the fairgrounds due to the wine festival held there a few months ago, and the council agreed to look at those rules to see if this auction fits.
Springfield Police Chief Eric Trout said there were no specifics given regarding what kind of equipment would be sold at the auction.
”I didn’t have any authority to say ‘I don’t agree with what you’re doing,’” he said.
”We ought to be on the list of what’s going on over there,” Mr. Frank said.
”I personally don’t see it as consistent with our vision,” he said in a phone interview after the auction, adding that he questioned whether the grounds should be allowed for commercial use.
Alfred Finnocchiaro, owner of Alfred’s Auctions, heard about the conflict from a few different people, but didn’t run into any serious conflict when he held the auction last Saturday.
”Anytime money changes hands it’s commercial, whether it’s a wine tasting or a show, or a tractor pull (contest),” he said. “I think the tractor pull is great. But, even though it’s agricultural it’s still a commercial venture. I grew up on a farm, so I know what it’s like. You have to make money somehow.”
He said he really likes the grounds and did his best to leave the place as nice as he found it.
”If it brings people to the fairgrounds and they’re looking to do more things like car shows, I’d like to be part of that, too,” he said. “They put that park there to have gatherings. I think as long as it’s in the best interests of the county it’s fine.”
He also said his consignment auction offered a great mix of farm machinery, landscape and construction equipment, power tools, generators and some outdoor furniture.
”It was the first consignment sale there and I think it was a success,” he said. “I’d really like to come back again. I’ll work with them whatever way they want. It’s a really nice facility.”
Mr. Finocchiaro said he’s been running consignment sales for 15 years. For this one, there were about 24 consigners, which was relatively low, mainly due to the recent hurricane and snow storm.

