County Considers More Purchasing Oversight

Fayette County Commissioners discussed setting a new purchasing policy that would require approval by the commissioners court for purchases over $10,000.

State law requires counties to go out for bids for purchases of new equipment that exceeds $50,000 in most cases. Fayette County already has a policy that states any purchases of new equipment over $20,000 must get Commissioners Court approval. In addition, Commissioners must also approve beforehand any purchases that include a contract such as a service or maintenance agreement.

But when it comes to purchasing services or used equipment, the County does not have a policy requiring prior approval. Sometimes, one of the commissioners or a department head will obtain a purchase order for an item, such as a used backhoe, pick it up from the seller and then later bring it before commissioners for approval.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom brought you the issue at the Commissioners Court meeting last Thursday, Nov. 12. At his request, the commissioners held a purchasing workshop during the meeting to discuss the issue.

“We all do this and we know how this works,” McBroom said at the meeting. “We go buy something, and a lot of times we’ll have it and then we approve bills after it was purchased.

“If it’s a large purchase and we say ‘no,’ then what do we do with it?” McBroom asked.

McBroom asked the other commissioners about an appropriate dollar amount to set as a limit before requiring prior approval.

“What do you think, $5,000 or $7,500?” he asked.

“I think we ought to have enough authority to buy something for $5,000,” said Pct. 3 Commissioner Harvey Berckenhoff. “I’d say $10,000.”

County Judge Joe Weber asked if the rule would apply to items that were specifically approved in the County budget. For example, next years budget includes a line item for a $35,000 EKG monitor for Fayette County EMS. McBroom said the proposed rule would not apply to such purchases because commissioners already approved it in the budget.

McBroom said the proposed rule would apply to purchases that come up throughout the year that were not specifically earmarked in the budget.

“I think it makes us look at the larger purchases a little more in depth,” McBroom said.

“The biggest thing is, this is not our money,” Berckenhoff said. “This is somebody else’s money.”

Pct. 2 Commissioner Luke Sternadel said the proposed rule could present a challenge when trying to purchase a piece of used equipment that’s priced to sell quickly.

“Either you buy it or it’s on the market for someone else,” Sternadel said.

“I think we ought to look at it a little more before we make a decision,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Tom Muras.

Commissioners did not take any action on the proposed rule. They asked assistant county attorney Blake Watson to write a draft policy and return with it at a later meeting for consideration.