Oxnard committee hears report on surplus-vehicle process; no vote recorded

Jose Areola, fleet services manager for Oxnard City, presented a report to the Public Works and Transportation Committee on Dec. 9 detailing the city's surplus vehicle process and recommended the committee "receive and file" the document.

Areola said the city's fleet totaled about 977 vehicles and pieces of equipment as of August 2025, with an estimated combined value of about $57.4 million. The inventory includes passenger vehicles, light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, refuse and dump trucks, fire apparatus, trailers and construction equipment.

According to Areola, the Fleet Services Division identifies candidates for replacement or retirement based on manufacturer guidance for end of service life, the type and operational stress placed on equipment, regulatory compliance (including air-quality rules affecting diesel engines) and a cost-benefit analysis comparing repair and replacement. Areola said Fleet Services first analyzes all department fleets and may recommend reassigning better-conditioned vehicles to other departments while retiring older, higher-mileage units.

Before surplus vehicles are sent to auction or otherwise disposed, Areola said Fleet Services prepares units by removing city logos, radios, lighting and other reusable components, compiles a surplus list and transmits that list to the Finance Department to coordinate the disposal process.

The presentation described Finance Department authority "under municipal code section 4.54, Ordinance 3053" (as stated in the report) that authorizes the city purchasing agent to sell, trade, lease, exchange or dispose of surplus property not required for public use. Areola said items valued under $500 per single item may be disposed of without city council approval and without bids or advertisement, while items valued at $500 or more require city council approval before disposition. He added that proceeds from surplus-property sales are returned to the respective city departments and that sales are typically coordinated through an auction company. Areola also said an asset disposal form must be completed when vehicles or equipment are donated.

Areola told the committee there was "no direct financial impact" to receiving the report. The transcript contains no motion, mover/second or recorded vote on the recommendation; the presentation concluded with Areola saying, "This concludes our presentation."