Fiscal Court declares county equipment surplus, approves advertising for sale

The Ballard County Fiscal Court voted to declare specified county equipment and vehicles surplus and instructed staff to advertise the items for public sale, with discussion focused on reserve pricing and ensuring statutory appraisal requirements are met.

Tom opened the item by noting the court had not previously followed the statutory advertising schedule and that staff researched values using public listings and Kelley Blue Book for automobiles. "We did research on most of the items that we have on the list," Tom said, and the court discussed whether to set reserve prices.

Committee members questioned whether some machinery would attract offers and urged the court to set minimums. Committee member (S4) said advertising should include reserve amounts and allow the county to decline low offers. Tom moved to declare the listed items surplus "as long as there's a reserve on it," the motion was seconded (recorded as second by Ron) and the court voted to carry the motion.

Court members also debated specific machines: a 2016 backhoe listed on a used-machinery website at about $30,000, heavy repair history on a 2014 Kubota tractor with $22,000 invested, and whether some items might not sell well in the current market. The court directed staff to appraise items and proceed with public advertising and sale processes.

The court recorded the surplus declaration vote; specifics about the final advertised reserve prices and sale platform were left to staff.