Cherry Township renews federal surplus membership
CHERRY TWP — Cherry Township’s Board of Supervisors signed off on a renewal application to be part of the Federal Surplus Property Program at its meeting Tuesday, March 3.
The Federal Surplus Property Program allows for states, municipalities and various public services to apply for any extra surplus equipment the federal government is not currently using and will give away.
Municipalities renew their membership every three years. William Smith, chairman of the board of supervisors, said when a municipality applies, it submits a list of equipment it would like to have.
“I think there’s a small transportation fee for it, but some of the equipment, the really heavy equipment, you’re talking tens of thousands of dollars. The surplus equipment, it’s been used, but it’s usually in pretty good shape,” Smith said.
The board said they have not yet received any equipment from the federal government. According to the United States General Services Administration, while it is hard to pinpoint the exact number of people that apply to be in the program, it receives thousands of applications from eligible organizations each year. Smith said it is important for a place like Cherry Township to be enrolled.
“We are a small, rural township. We try to take care of things, and we try to take every advantage we can get,” Smith said.
