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City of Nacogdoches reaps return on centralized surplus program

City of Nacogdoches

The city of Nacogdoches has pocketed more than $1 million since it centralized its effort to get rid of surplus equipment and vehicles. Gary Baisden, the city's purchasing and risk manager, took over the surplus effort in June 2009. Since then, he said, he’s sent more than 175 items to auction, including a parcel of land. Baisden said he posts the items to the website GovDeals. Buyers have come from all over, even as far away as Canada.

“One buyer from Newfoundland bought a couple of our garbage trucks," Baisden said. "They ended up flying down here, renting a car, and then they drove those two trucks back to Newfoundland. That trip was over 3,000 miles and ended with a 13-hour ferry ride.”

Baisden said the money earned from the surplus items goes back into Nacogdoches’ capital equipment fund.