LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — State lawmakers appeared sympathetic on Monday to calls from the heads of local volunteer fire departments to restore the Arkansas Federal Surplus Property program despite warnings from the director in charge of it that they're losing money.

The decades-old program is a clearinghouse for the federal government to unload property it no longer needs to local governments and veteran-owned businesses at huge discounts.

Arkansas Secretary of Public Safety Col. Mike Hagar reiterated to members of the state Joint Performance Review committee Monday what he told THV11 last week: changes by the federal government to offer so-called "big ticket" items through auctions severely limit what the FSP can make. After three years of losses, he began the process of ending it in July.

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