VEGA, Texas –
The Milburn Price Culture Museum in Vega, Texas, recently acquired a large piece of granite from the Texas State Agency for Surplus Property through the Federal Surplus Property Program. The slab is 15 feet long, nearly 8 feet tall and 28 inches thick, and weighs 45,000 pounds.
“It had originally been used as a precision granite measuring table,” said Megan Sim, the marketing, eligibility and compliance manager with Texas SASP.
“This one had a track in it so it could be rolled along and measure various spots,” Sim said. “They are absolutely flat and level, do not vibrate and usually hold a constant temperature and steady shape, and therefore are very useful in measuring precision components for areas such as aerospace.”
Sim said the museum picked it up from DLA Disposition Services at Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, this past summer and used it to create a beautiful sign.
She said the backstory on the granite is a great example of how good lines of communication and strong relationships between DLA, the General Services Administration and SASPs can accomplish amazing things.
Earlier this year, the Texas SASP was coordinating a pickup from DLA Disposition Services at Susquehanna, when one of its employees, Cynthia Anderson, happened to mention that the site also had a large piece of granite it was looking to dispose of and she wondered if the Texas SASP may have a need for it.
After gathering some information and pictures from DLA staff, the Texas SASP then reached out to the museum to see if they might be interested.
The donation was approved by GSA on a manual transfer order, saving time and resources for all involved.
“This took coordination not only between DLA and the SASP but GSA as well,” said Cassandra Gilbert, who works in the DLA Disposition Services Reutilization, Transfer and Donation Office. “Due to the size of this granite and the type of forklift needed to lift it, we requested approval from GSA prior to even being brought on record. The site did not want to handle this piece of granite twice. Cynthia Anderson definitely went above and beyond to make this work for all parties involved, including the turn in customer.”
“If not for the open lines of communication and good working relationship between the DLA Disposition Services at Susquehanna, GSA and Texas SASP staff, this donation might never have happened,” Sim said.
"To me, it was the perfect example of how DLA, GSA and the SASP's work together to reutilize surplus property. Communication is key with all donations,” said Greg Conn, director of the Millburn Price Culture Museum.
Conn explained how this project would not have been affordable without the Federal Surplus Property Program.
Conn said he looked into the cost of a piece of granite the size of this one and found it would cost more than $32,000 just for a quarry-cut piece of granite. A price too high for the museum.
Conn said transportation costs for the granite, along with the cost of the wrecker used to set it were both donated and a grant from the local Chamber of Commerce kept the total cost to the museum at around $1,200.
“The sign looks great,” Sim said. “Congratulations to Greg and the rest of the museum staff and volunteers. We appreciate DLA’s support of the Federal Surplus Property."