The Library will move to its new facility late this year. The majority of the furnishings in this facility will also be new, resulting in a very large amount of surplus property requiring expedited disposal to clear the building quickly for demolition. Likewise, Planning and Community Services has already vacated the current library building, and also has a significant number of items of surplus property remaining. Not all of this surplus property is suitable for transferring to other City departments, nor is all of it in salable condition. 

The Library and Planning and Community Services held a joint three-day open house for other City departments to review surplus property, which included the entirety of the surplus from Planning and Community Services, as well as a large number of items from the Library not needed for current operations. The number of items transferred was a fraction of the total available. The Library has also made plans to hold 1-2 on line auctions to dispose of surplus property. Planning and Community Services items will be included in this process. The auction vendor has indicated that items must be in good condition with no visible wear to be worth selling. On/off-site auctions have not been pursued due to historically low financial return on City investment and anticipated issues with security, congestion and parking.

The current Surplus Property Disposal procedure includes the following options in order of priority: selling or donating to other City departments through surplus property; cannibalizing; trading in on new equipment; advertising for sale and selling at auction, or by advertising and obtaining sealed bids and selling to the highest responsible bidder; selling as scrap; junking; and other by special Council approval.

The two departments propose a time-limited amendment to the Surplus Property Disposal procedure to allow City staff, in conjunction with the Purchasing Agent, to make immediate determinations on the disposal of surplus property and building components following an offer to sell or donate to other departments and reasonable attempts to maximize return of the City's initial investment. Options would include (in no order of priority) cannibalizing; trading in on new items; selling via on line auction or other sale; selling as scrap; junking; recycling when possible; donating items to social service agencies, nonprofits, libraries or governmental entities; or any other means of disposal as approved by the Purchasing Agent.

This temporary amendment to the Surplus Property Disposal procedure would be consistent with the objectives and spirit of the new library building's anticipated Gold LEED rating for sustainability. The amendment would be in effect from the Council meeting date through the end of the fiscal year, to allow for any property disposal contingencies resultant to the moving process.

The City Council may:

• Approve temporarily amending the Surplus Property Disposal procedure for the Library and Planning and Community Services Departments to allow for donations, recycling and other options deemed feasible.
• Not approve amending the Surplus Property Disposal procedure for the Library and Planning and Community Services Departments, which would result in a considerably larger amount of surplus property being sent to the landfill, and no opportunity for local nonprofit organizations and other public agencies to receive donations.

 The Library and Planning and Community Services may realize some financial returns via recycling.

Staff recommends the City Council approve amending the Surplus Property Disposal procedure for the Library and Planning and Community Services Departments through June 30, 2014.