County must gain control of ‘small’ spending

In a $76 million budget, $3,000 in late credit card fees may not seem like much, but over the long haul, “little” expenses will add up to big dollars.

The News Reporter’s recent examination of credit card expenses at the county did not reveal a “smoking gun,” but the three-part series did reveal a disturbing lack of oversight.

For instance, when reporter Bob High wrote the story, there were more than 100 county credit cards being used by county employees. No one was required to get a purchase order when they used these credit cards, except for purchases of more than $500.

Said attorney Steve Fowler, who had used his credit card to purchase books and other items to decorate a conference room, “In my opinion, when a person is issued a credit card there’s no explanation of the rules on how to use them.”

That’s a remarkable statement from one of the higher-ups in county government.

The county presumably began issuing credit cards because they’re easy use. Easy to use, though, often equates to misuse. The $3,000 in late fees is a case in point.

The county vowed to get better control of the credit cards after the story broke. Several steps must be taken.

For example, the number of cards issued must be limited. Each department head should be issued only an essential number of cards, and he or she should be responsible for how they are used. While purchase orders are cumbersome, they help supervisors control what’s being spent. A $500 ceiling before a purchase order is required is simply too much leeway. Departmental limits run as high as $10,000.
Personal use of a credit card, which happened on a number of occasions – even if the user fully intends to reimburse the county – is a felony and should be strictly prohibited. The county has a purchasing office that could be better utilized for buying items in bulk.

With the county’s financial condition being nothing short of desperate, it not only must address major expenditures, it must also adopt an attitude of fiscal responsibility that transcends all levels.

As the old saying goes, you can truly be nickeled and dimed to death.