A kayak. Bikes. A portable ice house. Televisions. Tools.

These are just a few of the items that the city will soon be selling by public bid through several government auction Web sites.

During the Monday Albert Lea City Council meeting, councilors voted to allow city staff to advertise and sell the property — which is either forfeited property or old city property — online instead of at a live auction like in years past.

Albert Lea Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said in previous years just preparing for a live auction would tie up a city worker for two to three weeks. Being able to post the items on the government auction Web sites will prevent a lot of unnecessary manpower.

The link to the auction Web sites will be on the city’s Web site at www.cityofalbertlea.org.

The following is a complete list of items to be sold:

kayak

 plastic kids snow sled

two round tables

four stationary upholstered chairs

approximately 60 bikes

18 rolling upholstered chairs

old style light bar

Nordic Track ski machine

elliptical stair stepper

weight bench

 portable ice house

12 park bench bases

three civil defense sirens

three old police bikes

19-inch color TV

13-inch color TV

Christmas tree stand

cordless phone

Little Playmate cooler

DVD player

 three VCRs

 mini cassette recorder

numerous tools from a seizure/forfeiture

During the Monday meeting, the City Council also:

Instructed the city engineer to study and report back to the council on the proposed improvements to the city that are listed in the 2010 capital improvement plan.

The city engineer will present whether the improvements are necessary, cost-effective and feasible, as well as the estimated cost of the improvement and individual assessments for affecting parcels.

The proposed projects include the following:

— Neighborhood improvement overlays including portions of Second Avenue, College Street, Commercial Street, Seventh Street, Janson Street, Third Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Spark Avenue, Betha Larson Lane, Maple Hill Circle, Alcove Street, Belmont Street, Plainview Lane and Hawthorne Street. The improvements also include repairs to the Southwest Middle School sidewalk, the Edgewater Park parking lot and the South Shore Drive frontage road.

— State-aid street overlays including Front Street from U.S. Highway 69 to Broadway Avenue, Hammer Road from Highland Avenue to Bridge Avenue and Front Street bike lanes

— Downtown streetscape design

— U.S. Highway 69 road, sewer and water

— Orchard Street sanitary sewer and water main extension

— Lakeview Boulevard concrete repairs

— Sidewalk improvements on Main Street from the Channel to Garfield Avenue

— Downtown alley resurfacing (alleys east and west of Broadway Avenue)

— Freeborn County Road 45 sewer and water extension

 Authorized a $250,000 fund transfer from the general fund’s unreserved balance to the PIR debt service fund.

 Approved the second reading of an amendment to Chapter 22, Article 7 of the city code that deals with spas, saunas, massage and bodywork.

A task force was put together and meetings were held with local massage therapists to come up with the new draft of the ordinance.

The ordinance states that a person practicing this line of work must obtain a license from the city for $50.

 Authorized a $5,000 grant agreement with state Secretary of State’s Office to purchase six voting booths and 24 magnifiers.

Approved a professional services agreement with attorney Tracy Bains for interim criminal prosecution services between Feb. 1 and May 7, while City Attorney Lee Bjorndal is performing duties of acting city manager.

Bains will be reimbursed at $70 an hour for her services.

Approved a request from the Albert Lea Parks & Recreation Department to close Frank Hall Drive in front of Academy Park on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. for events associated with the winter carnival portion of The Big Freeze.

Approved a request from the local Cub Scouts to use Edgewater Park and its facilities June 17, 18, 25 and 26 for their day campout and overnight campout.

The $500 fee to do so was waived.

Approved a request from the Girl Scouts of River Valley Council to reserve the main pavilion at Edgewater Park for day camp Aug. 9 through 11. The $450 fee for the use of the facilities was waived.

Did not vote on a request to waive the back taxes, penalties and fees at the Knights Inn, formerly the Midwestern Hotel.

The item was removed from the agenda.

Adopted the Freeborn County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is designed to reduce vulnerability to disasters throughout the county.