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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda- 06-19-2018 8-s - Computer Surplus Declaration and Donation to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 19, 2018 Action Agenda Item No. 8-s SUBJECT: Computer Surplus Declaration and Donation to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services, Information Technologies, Solid Waste Management ATTACHMENT(S): Resolution Approving the Donation of Surplus, Obsolete, or Unused County Equipment to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education INFORMATION CONTACT: Brennan Bouma, 919-245-2626 Jim Northrup, 919-245-2276 Robert Williams, 919-918-4904 PURPOSE: To approve and authorize the Chair to sign a resolution upon County Attorney review declaring items listed below as surplus and authorizing the donation of those items to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) Board of Education. BACKGROUND: In late 2015, Orange County donated 306 surplus computers and their peripheral equipment (computer keyboards, mice, monitors, etc.) to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) to help the school system launch a computer reuse and training program. CHCCS worked with a local company, Triangle Ecycling, to help manage this program and train high school students in computer repair. The donation was made with the understanding that any computer equipment that could not be refurbished or re-used for this program would be returned to Orange County Solid Waste to be responsibly recycled. All of the equipment in that initial donation was reusable. With the County’s donation and that of other public and private entities, the program has been successful and is now considering an expansion. Staff previously notified Orange County Schools of this opportunity to receive surplus computer equipment, and received word that Orange County Schools contacted Triangle Ecycling directly to inquire about their program. Orange County Information Technologies now has another round of surplus computer equipment that is ready for donation to CHCCS to support this program, and staff is seeking Board approval. Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 160A-280, the County Board of Commissioners may donate County property to another governmental unit including the CHCCS Board. 1 Property to be donated It should be noted that providing the County’s surplus computers to local non-profit organizations has also been previously discussed and pursued. However, agencies have declined interest due to the age of the computers as well as the cost to purchase operating systems since the County must remove all software and information for security and licensing purposes prior to any disposal action. The possibility of making surplus computers available to County employees has also been discussed. The interest among County employees is uncertain, and it has been noted that conveying/selling the computers to employees requires a prescribed process based on State law. Staff will evaluate both employees’ interest and the legal process in preparation for future surplus computer disposal consideration. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Donating these computers to CHCCS will have no financial impact on the County. As these computers have had 5-7 years of use and have been deemed unsuitable for repair or further use for their intended purpose, any money recovered by selling these computers as-is would be offset by the Staff time involved in managing the sale. The computers hold considerably more value as teaching tools for Orange County students. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following two Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this agenda item: • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. • GOAL: ESTABLISH SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE LAND-USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and decisions. Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies. The donation of a portion of the County’s surplus computers to CHCCS will help support a new computer reuse and training program aimed at providing valuable hands-on technical training for Orange County students. This training program will continue to divert the County’s e-waste from the landfill, while helping to prepare these students for jobs in the traditionally higher-paid computer field, thereby increasing their economic security. These results translate to positive outcomes related to the above Social Justice Goals. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a resolution upon County Attorney review declaring items listed above as surplus and authorizing the donation of those items to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) Board of Education. Computer Type Qty Average Age of Equipment Hard drives erased/wiped Laptops 216 5 years National Institute of Standards and Technology 800-88 Guidelines 7 pass erasing technology Desktops 168 6 years National Institute of Standards and Technology 800-88 Guidelines 7 pass erasing technology Total 384 2 RES-2018-047 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DONATION OF SURPLUS, OBSOLETE, OR UNUSED COUNTY EQUIPMENT TO THE CHAPEL HILL CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF N.C.G.S. 160A-280 WHEREAS, Orange County owns computers and other electronics, which are unsuitable for repair or further use for their intended purposes and should be declared surplus or obsolete to the County’s needs; and WHEREAS, N.C.G.S. 160A-280 allows counties to donate to another governmental unit any personal property that the Board of County Commissioners deems to be surplus, obsolete, or unused; and WHEREAS, County staff recommends that the computers and other electronics on the attached list be declared surplus, obsolete, or unused and donated to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, a school administrative unit which is a governmental unit as defined by N.C.G.S. 160A-274(a), to be used for educational purposes; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. 160A-280, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has caused public notice of this proposed Resolution to be posted at least five days prior to the adoption of this Resolution approving the donation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Orange County Board of Commissioners that the computers and other electronics are hereby declared to be surplus or obsolete based on their unsuitability for repair or further use for their intended purpose; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby approves the donation pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. 160A-280 by Orange County to the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools Board of Education of the above described personal property to be used for educational purposes. Adopted this the ____ day of _____________, 20___. ________________________________ Mark Dorosin, Chair Board of Orange County Commissioners 3