Torrance Municipal Code Art. 2 Disposition of City’s Obsolete Personal Property

a) "City Manager" means the City Manager of the City of Torrance or his or her authorized representative.

b) "Obsolete Personal Property" means any and all equipment, materials, supplies, vehicles, fixtures and other personal property of the City that are obsolete, worn-out, scrap, surplus, or no longer useful to the City.

a) Obsolete Personal Property Valued At Less Than $25,000. The City Manager is authorized to dispose of Obsolete Personal Property that the City Manager determines has a value of less than Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00)

b) Obsolete Personal Property Valued At $25,000 or More. The City Council is authorized to dispose of Obsolete Personal Property that has a value of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or more.

(Amended by O-3918)

a) Abandonment, Destruction or Donation. Obsolete Personal Property that has no commercial value or of which the estimated cost of continued care, handling, maintenance or storage would exceed the estimated proceeds of sale, may be abandoned, destroyed or donated. The determination to dispose of Obsolete Personal Property of no commercial value must be made in a writing signed by the City Manager and countersigned by the City’s Purchasing Agent.

b) Formal Bidding. Obsolete Personal Property may be offered for sale by formal, sealed bidding, in the manner provided by Article 3 of Chapter 2 of this Division.

c) Informal Price Quotations. Obsolete Personal Property with a value of less than $25,000.00 may be offered for sale by means of informal telephone price quotations, in the manner provided by Article 4 of Chapter 2 of this Division.

d) Public Auction. Obsolete Personal Property may be sold at auction. When appropriate, an experienced auctioneer should be used to conduct the sale and assist in preparation of the sale.

e) Trade-ins. Obsolete Personal Property may be traded-in for credit to a vendor of new goods, provided one of the following conditions is met:

a. The Purchasing Agent determines that the trade-in value is equal to or exceeds the value estimated to be obtained by an auction of the Obsolete Personal Property; or

b. The Purchasing Agent determines that the trade-in value is equal to or exceeds the price offered by the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the solicitation of bids.

f) Retail Sales. Obsolete Personal Property that has an estimated value of less than $25,000.00 may be offered for sale to the public, either at advertised one-time sales, or by offering the personal property for sale in a retail store operated by the City or in joint venture with an established retail sales establishment, provided all of the following conditions are met:

a. The value and asking price for the goods are established at current market value of like goods in the market;

b. The goods are offered for sale openly to the general public; and

c. No licensed motor vehicle may be sold in this manner.

g) Transfer to a Public Agency or a Charitable, Civic or Non-profit Organization. The City Council may authorize the sale, lease or donation of Obsolete Personal Property to the federal government or one of its agencies; to the State of California; to any county, city, school district, special district; other governmental agency; or to any charitable, civic or non-profit organization. The price and terms of transfer must be established by the City Council, but may be made without advertisement for or receipt of bids.

h) The methods of disposition in this section shall not apply to any firearm or ammunition obtained by the City via voluntarily relinquishment or through a gun buyback program or event operated for the purpose of firearm and ammunition destruction. Firearms and ammunition obtained via voluntarily relinquishment or through a gun buyback program operated for the purpose of destruction, regardless of commercial value, may be destroyed.

a. “Gun buyback program or event” as used in this Article is a program or event where firearms and ammunition are voluntarily relinquished to law enforcement for destruction and some form of incentive, which may include financial compensation, is offered in return for each relinquished firearm.

a) Government Grant Funds. Disposal of Obsolete Personal Property purchased with federal or state grant money is subject to the conditions of the grant.

b) Conflicts of Interest. City officers, employees and agents may not be purchasers at any sale, nor may they obtain or receive any City-owned personal property by any other means, while serving in their official capacity.