Financial Management Committee Meeting 25 Jan.2011
This committee met this morning, for the first time since new commissioners were appointed, and elected Commissioner Campbell as the chairman and Commissioner Flacy as Vice Chairman.
Committee members present or sitting in for other Commissioners were Commissioners Campbell, Pollard, Pope and Flacy, School Director Jackson, Highway Director Hyatt and County Executive Vanzant. The Financial Management Director served as secretary.
Four main items where discussed.
1) Disposition of Hwy. Dept. excess/obsolete equipment which will be sold in a sealed bid auction or posted on the gov.com website for sale. A third option was to sell as scrap. The best possible means of disposal will be checked before any action will be taken.
2) The county is required to have a disaster recovery plan, now additionally a disaster recovery plan must be made for each office.
3) The Financial Management Director is exploring the possibility of obtaining credit cards for use by county employees when no other means of payment is easily available.
Rules for usage will be drawn up and implemented with the assistance of CTAS and the state auditors.
It was proposed that if an employee should use a card for an unauthorized purchase they should reimburse the county when it is discovered. It was suggested that if an employee misused a county credit card they should be severely punished along with having to reimburse the county.
4) Three deficiencies were discussed that resulted from the state audit. (1) An employee had left his county job and taken several items of county property. This had been turned over to the Sheriff's Office but was still considered a deficiency. (2) Some deposits had not been made within the required three day limit. Now an individual is assigned to that specific duty. (3) There is a need to establish an audit committee for the county. This will be presented to the full commission and commissioners appointed to serve on that committee.
One item of discussion that did not have a conclusion was the question raised by Commissioner Pollard for some constituents, "Does the current Financial Management Office actually save any money over the old system"?
While there is no definitive study on the issue my belief, and no one disputed it at the meeting, is that other than the elevated salary cost of the Director and Asst. Director the amount is monetarily about the same. The biggest benefit to the county both administratively and monetarily is the increased accountability that has been created through tighter controls on bidding, accounts receivable and expenditures, etc. A huge additional benefit is the decrease in deficiencies found by the state auditors.
Except for the excessive salaries and manipulation of the committee the Financial Management Act has been a major plus for the county booth monetarily and administratively.
Committee members present or sitting in for other Commissioners were Commissioners Campbell, Pollard, Pope and Flacy, School Director Jackson, Highway Director Hyatt and County Executive Vanzant. The Financial Management Director served as secretary.
Four main items where discussed.
1) Disposition of Hwy. Dept. excess/obsolete equipment which will be sold in a sealed bid auction or posted on the gov.com website for sale. A third option was to sell as scrap. The best possible means of disposal will be checked before any action will be taken.
2) The county is required to have a disaster recovery plan, now additionally a disaster recovery plan must be made for each office.
3) The Financial Management Director is exploring the possibility of obtaining credit cards for use by county employees when no other means of payment is easily available.
Rules for usage will be drawn up and implemented with the assistance of CTAS and the state auditors.
It was proposed that if an employee should use a card for an unauthorized purchase they should reimburse the county when it is discovered. It was suggested that if an employee misused a county credit card they should be severely punished along with having to reimburse the county.
4) Three deficiencies were discussed that resulted from the state audit. (1) An employee had left his county job and taken several items of county property. This had been turned over to the Sheriff's Office but was still considered a deficiency. (2) Some deposits had not been made within the required three day limit. Now an individual is assigned to that specific duty. (3) There is a need to establish an audit committee for the county. This will be presented to the full commission and commissioners appointed to serve on that committee.
One item of discussion that did not have a conclusion was the question raised by Commissioner Pollard for some constituents, "Does the current Financial Management Office actually save any money over the old system"?
While there is no definitive study on the issue my belief, and no one disputed it at the meeting, is that other than the elevated salary cost of the Director and Asst. Director the amount is monetarily about the same. The biggest benefit to the county both administratively and monetarily is the increased accountability that has been created through tighter controls on bidding, accounts receivable and expenditures, etc. A huge additional benefit is the decrease in deficiencies found by the state auditors.
Except for the excessive salaries and manipulation of the committee the Financial Management Act has been a major plus for the county booth monetarily and administratively.
posted by Allen Barrett | 7:25 PM
14 Comments:
It would be a bad, bad move to issue credit cards to employees. Additionally, if a card is misused the employee should be discharged immediately, forget being 'severely punished'. Dont ya'll remember what happened at PES with the credit cards being used for accomodation and meals for family members when they went on trips. How soon we forget.
wab
No, The Financial Management Act that you were so in support of has cost this county a ton of money.
6:19 prove it. Show some substance to your claim.
They better have eyes on those credit cards---anyone remember the PES fiasco/hearings where it was discovered that several officialsused those cards for expensive purchases under the guise of "business expenses?" Probably not--memory is way too short around here. And all we have to blame is ourselves the voters for not doing anything. Yeah---give'em a credit card--thats a great idea. One can only imagine who it'll be to "discover" an improper purchase.
Credit card idea is bad one.
Those who think otherwise, are too careless with the taxpayers money and need to be reminded of it.
credit cards are asking for trouble
Regarding the 'cost ' of the financial management office , maybe it would be more cost-effective if it stood up and took control of ALL the major items the county buys using a bidding process ? As REQUIRED by state law and their own procedures (hint !)
Examples .....did anyone see requests for bid in local paper for the 'dead animal pickup service ' ? Or for the ridiculous 'recycle' program (mandated by the State or we wouldnt have one at all ) that provides a mud-hole to drive into when it rains -for $35,000 a year ?? Somebody local could run those two with a one ton dump truck and a winch ......if they had chance to bid ...cheaper than the existing (?? probably ).
B Holdem
"3) The Financial Management Director is exploring the possibility of obtaining credit cards for use by county employees when no other means of payment is easily available."
What purchases do county employees need to make? I understand that emergencies pop up, but then it should be handled by the Dept Head.
Opens door for more expense. It will take a lot of time for someone to check for unauthorized use. JUST SAY NO TO COUNTY CREDIT CARDS.
County credit cards are wrong and should never be considered for people who can't even manage to make a balanced budget.
"I rarely seem to know what's best"
Enabler (Wednesday, February 02, 2011 8:19:00 PM)
11:36
There is no enabler if you refer to me. The real enabler is the one who allows those like you to keep this stirred up.
A lie does not consist in the indirect position of words but in the desire and intention, by false speaking, to deceive and injure your neighbor.
_______Jonathan Swift
The Finance Management office is probably saving more than we realize, by keeping closer accountability on the bidding and other spending.
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