Title
Transfer of Certain Surplus Property over to Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry (NB)
The purpose of this item is to request authorization for the City Commission to authorize the City Manager or his designee, to transfer surplus property to the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry, and to authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Agreement with ACCHH to provide for the terms and conditions of the donation, including limiting use of the donated items to the implementation of homeless services at the Empowerment Center.
Explanation
This item supports the City Commission Strategic Initiative 3.1: Continue Implementation of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.
The City of Gainesville has entered into a contract with ACCHH to administer and implement homeless services at the Empowerment Center. The interim services are scheduled to start on May 1, 2014. ACCHH is in need of office furniture, equipment, electronic devices and a passenger van or sedan in order to start services. The City of Gainesville routinely replaces office furniture, equipment, electronic devices and vehicles once it has been determined that they have expended their useful life cycle for the City. Some of these surplus items and property are routinely purchased by other government agencies, businesses, or is sold at auction on behalf of the City. The revenue generated from the sale of the surplus property is returned to the City's General Fund.
City staff is requesting authorization to allow certain surplus property, such as the items listed above, to be transferred to the ACCHH in support of the City Commission Strategic Initiative 3.1. These donations will help to reduce the start-up costs for ACCHH and allow funds to be focused on services. A similar request is being submitted to the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners by County staff. In addition, City staff has requested a donation from the State to assist the ACCHH with bedding, linen, towels, kitchen equipment and other items to support the opening of the Empowerment Center.
ACCHH will be conducting its own donation campaign to address needs at the Center. The time period for this donation campaign is yet to be determined.
City staff is seeking City Commission approval of this request because it is a unique request that is not clearly contemplated by the City's adopted policy and procedures for the disposal of surplus property. The City's adopted policy and procedures typically limit the methods by which staff can dispose of surplus property to the following: transfer to other City Departments, public auction, sealed competitive bids or donation to another Governmental Agency (if the donation is in furtherance of a governmental objective). In addition, the policy and procedures require that all surplus items valued at $10,000 or more shall be sold by written quotations except when sale is by auction. In this case, although the ACCHH is not a governmental agency, this donation will further an important governmental objective in that the ACCHH is under contract with the City to provide homeless services at the City's Empowerment Center. At this time, staff is uncertain exactly what surplus property will be donated to the ACCHH; however, staff will report to the City Commission in the next quarterly update of Strategic Initiative 3.1, the estimated value of the surplus property this was actually donated.
Fiscal Impact
The City of Gainesville and the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners have approved funding in the amount of $308,000 for homeless services for the Empowerment Center for FY14. The City has also allocated over $1 million dollars in renovation and construction funds to get the campus ready for homeless services. The City Commission and the County Commission have requested funding for the roof repairs, kitchen renovations and equipment in the State Legislative Packet for the Empowerment Center. In addition, both Commissions are supporting similar requests at the federal level for the Empowerment Center.
Any potential revenue from the sale of the above identified surplus property, which is expected to be nominal, would be sacrificed in support of the City Commission Strategic Initiative 3.1 and continued efforts for the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry to administer and implement homeless services at the Empowerment Center.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) authorize the City Manager or his designee, to transfer surplus property (of such type and in such amount and value as is determined reasonable by the City Manager) to the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry; and 2) authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the Agreement with ACCHH to provide for the terms and conditions of the donation, including limiting use of the donated items to the implementation of homeless services at the Empowerment Center, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.