Memorandum
Date: June 7, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Luke Bingham, Sheriff/Coroner/Director of Emergency Services
Subject: Declare the 2005 Eagle Coach Fifth Wheel Trailer and 2019 Kenworth T370 truck surplus as it is no longer required for public use and therefore surplus to the needs of the County.
Executive Summary:
The Fifth Wheel tractor has no practical resale value and will be transferred to the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office for the sum of $1.00. The Kenworth truck will be sold to the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office for the sum of $45,000. These funds will be returned to the Sheriff’s Budget 2217 as this is where the vehicle was purchased.
The Kenworth truck used to tow the Sheriff’s mobile command fifth wheel should be declared surplus because its sole operational purpose is tied to an asset that is no longer practical or cost-effective to maintain.
The fifth wheel itself has become largely non-functional and operationally inefficient. It is oversized for most emergency response activities, and needs significant space and setup time, which limits its usefulness to only a handful of deployments each year. In addition, the unit requires substantial repairs, including replacement of aging tires, outdated technology, deteriorated exterior components, and pest remediation. Given these factors, maintaining the fifth wheel is no longer a prudent use of County resources.
Because the Kenworth truck is dedicated exclusively to towing the fifth wheel and requires a specialized license to drive, it has little to no independent operational value to the County. It is a specialized vehicle with limited alternative uses, and it carries its own maintenance, registration, insurance, and storage costs. Retaining the truck after the fifth wheel is removed from service would create unnecessary ongoing expenses without providing meaningful benefit.
Surplusing the Kenworth will eliminate these avoidable costs, reduce underutilized assets in the Sheriff’s fleet, and allow any residual value from the vehicle to be recovered. This action supports responsible stewardship of public resources and aligns fleet assets with current operational needs.
The existing fifth wheel is impractical, costly to maintain, and largely non-functional. It is too large for most emergency operations, requires specially licensed drivers, and demands substantial space for setup, limiting deployment to a few events per year.
In line with Section 12.5.1 of County policy, this item was:
1. Offered to other County departments November - December 2025;
2. Remained unclaimed, and offered to other public agencies in January 2026.
3. On May 7, 2026, OES received a request from Modoc County Sheriff’s Office to acquire the fifth wheel.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
☐ Section 2-38 <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI> Exemption from Competitive Bidding (rationale in “Executive Summary,” attach documentation, as needed)
☐ For Technology Purchases: Vetted and Supported by the Technology Governance Committee <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Intranet+Forms/Information+Technology/AdvPlan.pdf> (“Yes,” if checked)
☒ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☒ Not applicable
☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Declare the 2005 Eagle Coach Fifth Wheel Trailer and 2019 Kenworth T370 truck surplus as it is no longer required for public use and therefore surplus to the needs of the County.