The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on July 31 approved surplus declarations for county equipment in the Department of Corrections and for long‑term care services, authorizing sale through competitive means.

The motion to declare the Department of Corrections van and other equipment surplus referenced safety concerns: staff and commissioners said rusted undercarriage damage made repairs cost‑prohibitive and the vehicles would not reliably pass inspection. A commissioner noted the van would require “$20,000 worth of work” to reach an acceptable condition, and staff described the unit as unsafe to drive. The board approved declaring the items surplus under the statutory authority cited in the meeting and authorized competitive sale.

Separately the board declared a long‑term care item — recorded in the packet as a “BNC water model 1865” (long‑term care equipment) — as surplus because it had been depreciated over roughly 10 years and had no remaining book value for county operations. Commissioners approved that declaration as well.

Why it matters: Declaring worn vehicles and aging medical equipment surplus allows the county to remove unsafe or obsolete assets from service and to recover residual value through sale rather than continuing costly repairs.

The motions were approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Staff said proceeds would be realized through a competitive process and that the items had been evaluated against the cost of repair and the county’s operational needs. Commissioners said they would avoid spending large sums to rehabilitate vehicles that would still not meet inspection standards.

The board did not appropriate any new funds during the surplus motions; staff said receipts from sales would be processed through the county’s usual revenue lines.