Two commissioners come to Varner’s defense.

By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

Five of seven Columbus County commissioners voted for County Manager Jim Varner to return a $973 credenza he purchased recently, but Varner will keep the computer hutch anyway.

Cox Discount Furniture Warehouse in Whiteville donated the desk after the incident at Monday night’s commission meeting.

Commissioner Ricky Bullard revealed that Varner had purchased the computer hutch and said he didn’t think it was right. “We’re asking departments to cut back and Mr. Varner bought a $973 credenza for his office.”

“Do you think that is appropriate in here?” Varner fired back at Bullard.

“I bring my business before the board,” Bullard said.

“You want me to return it?” Varner asked.

“Yes, sir,” Bullard replied.

“One man can’t tell you to take it back,” Commission Chairman Sammie Jacobs declared.

“My stuff was stacked all over the floor,” Varner insisted.

“You’ve got to have the appropriate things to work with,” Jacobs said in Varner’s defense.
“I wouldn’t have bought it if I didn’t need it,” Varner said.

Bullard said there were departments in need of additional space and equipment and in worse shape.

Jacobs ended the argument by calling for a vote. Only Jacobs and Commissioner Amon McKenzie voted for Varner to keep the furniture.

“I think if a person in the county wants equipment, bring it to the board,” McKenzie said, despite voting to keep the furniture. “If we are going to have a person that is our county manager, we shouldn’t put them in an embarrassing situation.”

The exact date of purchase is not clear as no documentation pertaining to the furniture had been received in the county finance or purchasing departments as of Tuesday.

Varner did not follow a county purchasing policy adopted in 2005.

It requires that purchases of more than $500 go through the purchasing department.

The proper procedure involves completing a requisition form for the purchasing department to get various informal quotes and negotiate the best price possible.

This is not the first time Varner has been told to return furniture purchased with county funds.

In fact, last year he was ordered to do so by a local judge.

More than $4,600 worth of furniture – a desk, two office chairs, a desk chair, two bookcases and a love seat – were returned to a Whiteville business after Chief District Court Judge Jerry Jolly entered a civil order to remove the items from District Court Judge Marion Warren’s courthouse annex office.

Jolly, a resident of Tabor City, noted the furniture was requested without the chief district judge’s knowledge, and the approval of the purchase by Varner showed “a total and gross disregard for the best interests” of the county’s taxpayers.