Alternative procedure.

Having consideration for the best interests of the county or district, a governmental unit’s property that is obsolete or the continued use of which is uneconomical or inefficient, or which serves no useful function, which property is not otherwise lawfully disposed of, may be disposed of for value to any person, or may be disposed of for value without bids to the state, to any governmental unit, or to any political subdivision as defined in s. 1.01, or if the property is without commercial value it may be donated, destroyed, or abandoned. The determination of property to be disposed of by a governmental unit pursuant to this section instead of pursuant to other provisions of law shall be at the election of such governmental unit in the reasonable exercise of its discretion. Property, the value of which the governmental unit estimates to be under $5,000, may be disposed of in the most efficient and cost-effective means as determined by the governmental unit. Any sale of property the value of which the governmental unit estimates to be $5,000 or more shall be sold only to the highest responsible bidder, or by public auction, after publication of notice not less than 1 week nor more than 2 weeks prior to sale in a newspaper having a general circulation in the county or district in which is located the official office of the governmental unit, and in additional newspapers if in the judgment of the governmental unit the best interests of the county or district will better be served by the additional notices; provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to require the sheriff of a county to advertise the sale of miscellaneous contraband of an estimated value of less than $5,000.