From: everette (194cbteng@bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri Jul 16 2004 - 14:52:18 PDT
I have had some experience with the state of Tennessee and surplus
equipment,,,,
A few years back when the depot in Memphis was open they got a shipment
consisting of hundreds of two wheel carts for storage and use of oxy. and
acetylene welding bottles and related equipment.. several truck loads..
various states drew from this surplus, also some other federal agencies,
along with the Memphis Fire Department, the state of Tennessee also drew
several. Some time later I was in the Tennessee state surplus office in
Jackson Tennessee and there were a dozen or so of these pieces of equipment.
While I was there I saw a forestry service employee obtain two, I was at
counter when he filled out paper and it stated that Tennessee would collect
165 dollars each for the carts - which cost state nothing. I asked why the
state charged other state agencies when the agencies could have drawn the
stuff themselves. And I find out that the state of Tennessee forbids (at
least at that time) any state agencies from drawing direct from
Federal government, they must get stuff from state surplus office and pay
for it, the payment is to pay salary and expenses of office.
So this means that I as taxpayer purchased the carts new for federal
government. They declared them surplus, turned them over to state of
Tennessee and I as taxpayer paid for them again. I as taxpayer would have
been money ahead had these been sold to private company as scrap iron. This
same scenario is played out every time Tennessee obtains federal surplus for
distribution to state agencies. Often times the equipment goes directly
from federal storage to the state agency that is going to use it,, state of
Tennessee never has possession of it.
I picked up a load of 55 gallon drums of fire foam and delivered for a small
fee to local state forestry service garage, Tennessee charged them for foam
and then for freight, 3 times what they paid me to haul it.
Everette
some one wrote
Every state has a "federal surplus property" co-ordinator, generally in the
state capitol. They are the guys who screen the surplus equipment, (not
limited to vehicles) and decide which gov't subdivision will get what. They
publish a current list that is available to fire depts, etc.
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