Banner County discusses surplus Suburban; no formal action taken

During the June 29 meeting the board discussed a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban the fire department and sheriff’s office are removing from service. A commissioner reported the vehicle has about 140,000 miles, a 6.0‑liter engine and estimated blue‑book value near $10,000 with other equipment/extras that could raise resale value. The commissioner suggested assigning the Suburban to the road superintendent as a travel/field vehicle to free a pickup for fleet service.

Board members raised procedural concerns: the fire department’s equipment and vehicle ownership status differs from county‑owned fleet assets, certain equipment must remain with the vehicle when decommissioned, and an arms‑length sale may be required. Several commissioners recommended listing surplus equipment through Purple Wave (an online auction service) to preserve a fair public disposition process; they discussed allowing the county’s superintendent to place a capped bid if the county wished to keep the unit. No formal motion or vote was taken on the Suburban at the meeting.

The board asked staff to proceed with typical surplus procedures and to consider informal bid options consistent with procurement rules.