HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 401-08City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER
DATE:OCTOBER 6, 2008
REPORT TYPE: CONSENT
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
CMR: 401:08
ADOPTION OF AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION
2.31.010 [SURPLUS PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT DISPOSAL OR
DESTRUCTION] OF THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE TO ALLOW
THE DONATION OF SURPLUS PROPERT~ TO NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF, TO
TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council adopt the attached emergency ordinance amending Section
2.31.010 of Chapter 2.31 to Title 2 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, to allow the donation of
unusable or obsolete City property and equipment to non-profit organizations supporting the City of
Palo Alto’s programs. ~
BACKGROUND
Section 2.31.010 (a) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code states that the Director of Administrative
Services has the authority to sell all property which is no longer used or which has been obsolete or
worn out, and which cannot be used by any department or which has become unsuitable for City use
by negotiated sales, sealed bids, public auction or trade-in for new property or equipment. The
director may also under Section 2.31.010 delegate any authority granted to the director with respect to
property valued at less than $5,000.00. Section 2.31.010 (b) gives authority to the city manager to
authorize the abandonment, destruction or donation to public bodies, charitable, civic or non-profit
organization, of city property which has no commercial value.
DISCUSSION
The intent of this amendment is to allow staff to donate assets the City’s staff has deemed to be no
longer used, obsolete or worn out but which may have some commercial value to non-profit
organizations formed to support City programs, such as the Friends of the Palo Alto Library or the
Friends of the Children’s Theatre.
The current ordinance lacks specific language that would allow the City to contribute materials to
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nonprofit support organizations in order to directly support City programs, services and facilities.
City staff, together with The Friends of the Children’s Theatre, would like to continue the long-
standing tradition of offering discarded theatre costumes for sale to children for participation in
Halloween festivities and other creative dress-up occasions. The adoption of this emergency
ordinance will allow the Friends to conduct the costume sale before Halloween (October 18),
when demand for costumes from the public is at a peak.
REsoURCE IMPACT
There is no resource impact associated with the adoption of the attached revised ordinance since the
assets have no longer any use or commercial value to the City of Palo Alto.
POLICY IMPLICATION
This is an amendment to the existing City policy Section 2.31.0 I0.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
This is not a project subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A:Draft Emergency Ordinance
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
BETTS
Interim Director, Community Services Department
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CMR:401:08 Page 2 of 2