CC Resolution 2015-046 Surplus & Equipment PolicyRESOLUTION NO.2015 - 046
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA
QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A SURPLUS PROPERTY
AND EQUIPMENT POLICY
WHEREAS, purchasing, contracting, grant acceptance, and disposal policies
provide a guideline to City employees for the purchase and acceptance of goods,
services and funds used to supplement city operations, and for the disposal of goods
that are no longer needed or unusable; and
WHEREAS, purchasing, contracting, grant acceptance, and disposal policies
provide transparency and consistency;. and
WHEREAS, purchasing, contracting, grant acceptance and disposal policies
enable the Finance Department and the City Manager to maintain a system of
financial controls for the efficient use, expenditure and disposal of public funds and
property; and
WHEREAS, the ability to sell, auction, donate or transfer surplus property that is
no longer in use by the City of La Quinta is an act that is taken solely for the common
benefit of the City and its citizenry.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of La Quinta,
California, as follows:
SECTION 1. The Surplus Supplies and Equipment Policy attached hereto as Exhibit A
and incorporated herein by reference shall govern the disposition of the City's surplus
property (excluding real property) in a manner that is for the common benefit,
whether it be through transfer, sale, auction, disposal, or donation.
SECTION 2. This Policy, as applicable, shall constitute the procedures and rules
governing the disposal of all of the City's non -real, surplus property pursuant to
Chapter 3.12 of the La Quinta Municipal Code.
SECTION 3. Severability. If any provision of this Resolution or the application thereof
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other
provisions or applications of this Resolution which can be given effect without the
invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Resolution are
severable. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this Resolution
irrespective of the invalidity of any particular portion thereof.
SECTION 4. This Resolution shall become effective on the some day Ordinance No.
r5291 becomes effective.
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 2
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta City
Council held on this 6th day of October 2015, by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members Franklin, Osborne, Pena, Radi, Mayor Evans
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
LINDA EVANS, Mayor
City of La Quinta, California
ATTEST:
tzT�� b444�_
SUSAN MAYSELS, City Cl<jW
City of La Quinta, California
(CITY SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO -FORM:
(its P � • � a�!J'
WILLIAM H. IHRKE, Ci y Attorney
City of La Quinta, California
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 3
EXHIBIT A
CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA
SURPLUS SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT POLICY
SECTION I. Purpose.
To set forth the City of La Quinta's administrative policy for the transfer and
disposition -of surplus personal property, equipment and materials, pursuant to the
power granted onto the City Council pursuant to Article 1 of the Charter of the City of
La Quinta, and Chapter 3.12 of the La Quinta Municipal Code.
SECTION II. Definitions.
(1) The term "City" means the City of La Quinta.
(2) The term "nonprofit organization" means any charitable organization exempt
under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, or successor
statute.
(3) The term "public agency" means the United States or the State of California or any
agency or subdivision thereof, including any city, county, special district, or school
district.
(4) The term "surplus property" as used herein is used generically to describe any City
personal property, equipment or material that is no longer needed or usable by the
holding department. For purposes of this policy, all surplus property including
scrap, recyclables, trash, and/or junk disposed, discarded or abandoned on City
premises, including all surplus property placed in storage or collection containers
of any kind, is hereby deemed to be City property and not property of any City
employee. "Surplus property" does not include real property or any interest in real
property.
(5) The terms "scrapping" and "recycling" as used herein refer to the act of
transferring discarded surplus .property, including scrap or recyclables, to a vendor
for use, salvage or resale.
(6) The terms "scrap" or "recyclables" as used herein refer to surplus property that (a)
may be reused "as is" or after repair, or (b) may be salvaged for its mineral value
after treatment or processing.
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 4
(7) The term "trash" or "junk" as used herein refers to surplus property which has no
practical salvage or recyclable value.
SECTION III. Methods of Transfer and Disposition.
All surplus property is disposed of "as is" and "where is," with no warranty, guarantee,
or representation of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the condition, utility or
usability of the property offered unless expressly authorized by the City Council.
(1) Transfer to Another Department. Surplus property may be transferred between
City departments. All surplus property will first be considered for transfer for the
benefit of the city.
(2) Trade -In. Property declared as surplus may be offered as a trade-in for credit
toward the acquisition of new property.
(3) Return to Manufacturer. Surplus property may, when possible, be returned to the
manufacturer for buy-back credit.
(4) Donation. Surplus property may be donated or sold at less than estimated value to
any public agency or nonprofit organization.
(5) Sale and Disposal. Appropriate methods of sale and disposal are as follows:
(a) Auction. Surplus property may be sold at public auction. Auctions may be
conducted by City staff, or the City may contract with a professional auctioneer
or electronic auction site.
(b) Sealed Bids. Sealed bids may be solicited for the sale of surplus property.
Surplus property disposed of in this manner shall be sold to the highest
responsible bidder, and the procedure for soliciting and awarding by sealed bid
shall follow the procedure for bidding public works contracts as established by
the City Council.
(c) Scrapping. Surplus property may be sold, auctioned, recycled, donated, or
discarded as scrap if the value of the surplus property's parts exceeds the value
of the surplus property as a whole.
(d) No Value Item. Where the property is of minimal or no value to the City due to
spoilage, obsolescence or similar reason, or where the cost of disposal of such
surplus property would exceed the recovery value, the surplus property may be
sold or disposed in such a manner as appropriate and in the best interest of the
City.
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 5
SECTION IV. Procedures.
Consistent with California Government Code Section 37350, the City Council sets forth
the policy of the City for disposal or destruction of surplus property.
(1) City Council- and City Manager -Directed Transfers and Dispositions. Transfers and
dispositions of surplus property consistent with the methods in Section III above,
are hereby authorized according to the following:
a. Property with an Estimated Market Value Exceeding $500. Once a department
head has identified surplus property, the transfer or disposition of surplus
property with an estimated market value exceeding $500 per item shall be
determined by the City Council pursuant to a specific agenda item on an
agenda for a regular or special City Council meeting.
b. Property with an Estimated Market Value of $500 or Less. Once a department
head has identified surplus property, the City Manager may direct the transfer
and disposition -of such surplus property with an estimated market value of
$500 or less per item.
(2) Identifying and Valuing Surplus Property. Each department head is responsible to
identify surplus property regularly.
(a) Each department head will evaluate the operational status of the surplus
property and notify the Finance Director in writing.
(b) The Finance Director will circulate the surplus property notification between the
other departments within the City.
(c) The department head from which the surplus property originates will determine
the estimated market value of the surplus property and recommend the most
fiscally advantageous method of disposal.
(d) In determining the estimated market value, the department head shall
document the methods used to make such determination including tools such
as Kelly Blue Book, classified advertisements, and vendors in the United States
with similar products available.
(e) The estimated market value will consider a computation of expenses
associated with the disposal of surplus property. These expenses may include
advertising, auction costs, storage and other costs.
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 6
(3) Accounting for the Disposition of Surplus Property. It is critical to maintain all
documentation for audit purposes regarding the disposition of surplus property.
(a) Notice to Finance Director. Notification will be provided to the Finance Director
in writing of any transfer or disposal of surplus property to a different location
or department.
(b) Proceeds from Transfer and Disposition of Property. When so authorized to
transfer, sell, dispose, donate, recycle, or scrap surplus property by the City
Council or the City Manager pursuant to this policy, the employee directed to
undertake such activity shall remit the entire proceeds from any such activity to
the Finance Director by check or money order made payable to the City of
La Quinta, and shall be deposited into the general fund or, if required by law,
deposited into a special purpose fund, of the City.
(c) Notification and Documentation. The department head will notify the Finance
Department in writing of the disposition of all surplus property and attach all
supporting documentation, including the records required by this policy.
(d) Transfer of Ownership and Title. Delivery of the surplus property together with
transfer of ownership and title passes upon receipt of the proceeds. The
Finance Director shall cause licenses and title documents to be executed and
transferred upon verification of receipt of funds.
(e) Inventory Adjustment. The Finance Department shall make adjustments to the
City's inventories/assets lists showing the disposition of surplus property.
(f) Recordkeeping. Copies of all records documenting the surplus property process
will be kept on file with the Finance Department for so long as records are to be
maintained by the City's records retention policy and by applicable law.
(4) Personal Scrapping, Recycling or Disposal of Trash or Junk (Unauthorized). It is the
policy of the City that no employee may engage in any sale, scrapping or recycling
or other transfer or disposal of surplus property, unless specifically directed to
engage in such activity by the City Council or the City Manager who have been
lawfully and duly authorized and designated to direct such activity pursuant to this
policy. Transferring, selling, donating, scrapping, recycling or disposing of surplus
property, regardless of monetary value, by City employees for personal gain or to
benefit the interest of any person or party other than the City, is strictly forbidden.
(5) Surplus Property and Employees. City officials and employees shall be allowed to
be the purchasers or direct recipients of any surplus property of the City, on the
condition that they acquire the surplus property according to this Policy.
Resolution No. 2015-046
Surplus & Equipment Policy
Adopted: October 6, 2015
Page 7
Furthermore, when attempting to acquire surplus property, City officials and
employees must be treated the same as the general citizenry and are therefore
subject to all of the same notice, value, and accounting requirements as set forth
in this Policy.
(6) Exceptions. Any exceptions to this policy will only be made at the direction of the
City Manager; provided, however, that no exception may be made concerning the
transfer or disposition of surplus property exceeding $500 in estimated market
value per item without the approval of the City Council.
SECTION V. Discialinary Action(s).
Appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be taken if an
employee is found, through proper investigation and application of appropriate
process, to:
(1) Have failed to promptly remit to persons officially designated to receive proceeds,
including cash or other consideration, from the sale of surplus property;
(2) Have failed, in the performance of their duties, to promptly place in appropriate
City containers, bins, dumpsters, or other collection facilities, equipment or
containers, or have received, taken, given away, collected, stored or retained in
other than appropriate City containers, bins, or collection facilities, or dump sites,
City scrap, recyclables, trash or any such surplus property belonging to City
tenants;
(3) Have engaged in selling, scrapping, recycling or handling of surplus property in
violation of this policy or the procedures set forth herein, including having engaged
in any such activity for their personal interest or gain, or in aid of others doing the
same for their respective interest or gain;
(4) Have used City vehicles, facilities or equipment to collect, store, or transport
surplus property to sites, locations, or facilities, including the facilities of scrap
vendors or recycling centers, except as specifically directed by the authorized City
Manager, in accordance with this policy and the procedures set forth herein; or
(5) Have failed to notify his/her department director in a prompt and timely manner
after having observed any individual engaging in any of the above -described act(s)
or having learned that such act(s) were being committed by other City employees.