Your Government at Work

Homeland security grants by Skagit County, WA: County sues after selling $8,000 copier for $250:

Skagit County (WA) purchased a nearly $8000 copy machine (reportedly planning to pay for it with federal Homeland Security grant funds) to be used at their Department of Emergency Management. The machine was supposed to be stored temporarily at the county shop. But, according to news reports, a mishap occurred that's caused quite a headache for everyone involved.

When the copier arrived, there was no room for it at the Department of Emergency Management, so it was stored in a warehouse next to the surplus items.

Owner Jeff Brown bought [it] for around $250 at Skagit County's surplus property auction.

"The people who were conducting the auction didn't realize that it had been stored there and accidentally sold it at the auction," said Skagit County Administrator Gary Rowe.

A state audit found the county did not have sufficient safeguards in place to avoid such a mistake.

Brown says that's the county's problem, not his.

To get the copier back, Brown said the county has offered to give him as much as $5,000 for the machine. But he said he's told them he's not interested.