WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt will sponsor a public forum this month on how local communities and non-profit organizations can obtain surplus federal property at significant discounts – and sometimes even free.

“With local towns and cities facing unprecedented financial pressures, every dime counts,” Delahunt said. “Sometimes it is possible to acquire surplus equipment, vehicles and boats directly from federal agencies at little cost, saving thousands of dollars to local taxpayers,” Delahunt said today.

The workshop, intended to brief local officials on how to acquire surplus federal equipment and property, is scheduled for 11:00am on Friday, May 16 at the Plymouth Town Hall, 11 Lincoln Street. On hand will be representatives of the General Services Administration, US Coast Guard and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Over the years, Rep. Delahunt has helped numerous municipalities and private non-profit organizations acquire all types of surplus government equipment and property.   The Congressman has been able to help broker the discounted transfer of  surplus boats, parcels of land – even structures of historic value – which are no longer needed by the federal government. In some cases, these conveyances can be negotiated without any cost to local communities.

The May 16 forum will also focus on opportunities for local groups to learn about acquiring historic lighthouses that have been designated as excess federal property. Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, historic lighthouses can be declared excess to government needs.  The forum will outline how this program will affect lighthouses on the South Shore and Cape and Islands.

Further details are available by calling Rep. Delahunt’s office toll-free at 1-800-794-9911.

 

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