Woods County discusses surplus communications equipment, certification limits on transfers

Woods County officials discussed whether surplus communications equipment, including a UPS battery backup and a 700-series receiver, can be transferred to another county and what certifications or legal limits apply.

The issue arose during discussion of a surplus and transport agenda item when a participant noted that some equipment the county bought (a UPS backup and a roughly 700-series receiver) might be usable by neighboring counties but could require certification. A staff member said the county could pursue obtaining similar equipment through the Department of Emergency Management once required training is completed and that the county would need to confirm whether it can legally give certain items away.

Why it matters: transfer or re-use of radio and emergency equipment can affect inter-county response capabilities and is subject to technical, regulatory and procurement constraints. Commissioners indicated they did not want to transfer items that legally require certified operation.

During the discussion, the staff member said, "I think it's okay because it is that he had to be certified to have this." Commissioners and staff agreed to check whether particular pieces of equipment are restricted and who holds title to items purchased with county funds before moving them to another jurisdiction.

No formal vote on a transfer was recorded in the transcript. The discussion identified several next steps: staff will review ownership and legal/certification requirements for the specific equipment items and return with clarification. The record shows questions about which components were county-purchased and which might be subject to third-party ownership or program restrictions.