Coatesville officials have announced the city will hold a public auction to sell 16 city-owned properties at 1 p.m. on May 30 at city hall.

A list of properties and other info about the auction can be found here.

Only weeks after Coatesville Police Department appeared to get its head above water, regarding staffing, the situation is looming again.

The department has three vacancies now, plus two officers who have informed the chief of their intentions to retire soon.

Compound that with the poor showing by applicants on the recent civil service test -- only three passed, not enough for the city to start an eligibility list -- and the city has decided to continue the use of the provisional hiring process to fill the patrols.