HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-3099 - Establishing Standards for Disposition of Surplus Personal PropertyCITY OF MARYSVILLE
Marysville, Washington
ORDINANCE NO. 3099
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE,
WASHINGTON, ESTABLISHING STANDARDS FOR DISPOSITION OF
SURPLUS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
WHEREAS, when personal property is no longer needed for city purposes that property
should be declared surplus and disposed of in the manner most advantageous to the city; and
WHEREAS, city departments possess the expertise to determine when property is no
longer useful or beneficial to the city's mission; and
WHEREAS, from time to time the city comes into possession of property or material that
has only salvage value and is of no use to the city and determining its value would likely exceed
the actual value of the material; and
WHEREAS, encouraging the reuse or recycling of salvage material or personal property
confers public benefits through cost savings and reducing solid waste entering landfills; and
WHEREAS, the value received by auctioning or trading in vehicles or equipment that is
no longer needed for municipal purposes can be used to reduce the cost of obtaining vehicles or
equipment that do benefit the public; and
WHEREAS, when property is surplus to the city's needs, the reasons for determining the
property is surplus and the manner of disposition should be documented; and
WHEREAS, the public welfare and common benefit is served by efficiently disposing of
surplus property in a manner that facilitates the city's delivery of public services.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE,
WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. A new chapter, 3.53, is added to the municipal code as set forth in Exhibit
A.
SECTION 2. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of
this ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent
jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality thereof shall not affect the validity or
constitutionality of any other section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this
ordinance.
SECTION 3. Upon approval by the city attorney, the city clerk or the code reviser are
authorized to make necessary corrections to this ordinance, including correcting scrivener's error
or clerical mistakes; references to other local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations; or
numbering or referencing of ordinances or their sections and subsections.
SECTION 4. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective five days after the
date of its publication by summary.
PASSED by the City Council and APPROVED by the Mayor this I '11"'--day of
tlL«f '<,>r , 2018.
Date of publication: '8
Effective Date (5 da_y_s -afi-+-te~r_p_u,_l~ic-at-ion): 8} :1..$ ) /8
I I
EXHIBIT A
3.53.010 Purpose
This chapter applies to personal property originally acquired for city purposes. It does not apply
to property that comes into city possession by abandonment, such as unclaimed property in the
hands of the city police, junk vehicles, and other property that was not acquired for city
purposes. This chapter is intended to provide for disposition of surplus property in a manner that
is beneficial to the city and its citizens.
3.53.020 Mayor authorized to sell or dispose of surplus property
The mayor is authorized to declare personal property that is no longer of public use or utility as
surplus to the city's needs and to sell or otherwise dispose of such surplus property in the best
interests of the city.
3.53.030 Approval to sell or dispose of surplus property
(1) A department director who determines that his or her department is in possession of property
that is of no current or future use to the city will specifically identify the property and state the
reasons for that determination in writing and recommend the best process for disposing of the
property. The determination and recommendation will be submitted to the finance director and
city attorney for review. If those officials concur in the determination and recommendation it
will be forwarded to the chief administrative officer who will recommend to the mayor whether
to approve or deny the request. If the mayor approves, the appropriate city staff will take all
necessary action to sell or otherwise dispose of the property. The mayor may delegate his or her
authority under this chapter.
(2) If any surplus property was originally acquired with grant funds, the department director will
ensure that sale or disposal of the property is consistent with any grant requirements or
restrictions by consulting with the city attorney and, if necessary, the granting agency. The
written determination of surplus will include verification that this step has been followed for
property originally acquired with grant funds.
3.53.040 Sale or disposal of surplus property
(1) All commercially reasonable methods of selling surplus property are authorized. In
determining the appropriate method of sale, consideration will be given to the present value of
the surplus property, the cost of the method of sale to the city including staff time, likelihood of
finding a buyer, which method is most likely to result in the greatest monetary benefit to the city,
and the general welfare of the citizens of the city. Vehicles or equipment may be traded-in when
trade-in is determined to be the best option.
(2) Where the expected cost of a sale or auction of surplus property is reasonably expected to
exceed the proceeds of the sale or auction, city staff are authorized to dispose of the property in
the most economical fashion possible, including making it available to non-profit organizations
or the public on a first-come basis.
(3) All sales and donations of surplus property will comply with the city ethics code.
3.53.050 Documentation
The written surplus determination, recommended disposition method, and mayor's approval will
be forwarded to the finance department along with records documenting the sale or other
disposition of the property. The finance director will ensure that any proceeds are credited to the
proper fund of the city.
3.53.060 Exceptions
(1) Property originally acquired for public utility purposes that is surplus to the city's needs and
is not required for providing continued public utility service may only be sold or otherwise
disposed of in accordance with RCW 35.94.040.
(2) Intergovernmental transfers of surplus property must be approved by the city council and
will comply with RCW 39.33.010 and 39.33.020.
(3) Real property may be declared surplus only by action of the city council.