Franklin BOC Undecided on Commissioner Expense Reporting

Franklin County commissioners cannot seem to come to a decision on whether to include an extra line item detailing their expenses on the county manager’s monthly financial report.

Last fall, the commission put a moratorium on travel expenses charged to the county after it was noted that one commissioner had spent over $10,000 on travel expenses and to pay for classes and conferences.  For a time after that, the county manager read the monthly expenses as a line item in his monthly financial report to the commission. However that was discontinued at the first of the year.

But at the work session, county commission chair Thomas Bridges pointed out that this year, the board had not agreed on how to address commission expenses.

“In talking with Mr. Morse I feel like we need to get a consensus from the commission,” Bridges said.

County manager Billy Morse said commissioner expenses went over budget by 8% in fiscal 2013.

Commissioners Clint Harper  and Jeff Jacques said commissioner expenses should be put in as a separate line item in the monthly financial report.

“I was assuming that line item would stay on the monthly financial statement,” Harper said.

“I am 100% in concurrance,” Jacques said. “I’ll tell you what, if we can’t manage the components of our budget, that would be a tool to help us do so.”

But Bridges, along with commissioners David Strickland and Robert Franklin disagreed saying the budget line items should stay as they are.

After more discussion, Bridges said no separate commissioner expense line item is needed and the discussion ended with no vote taken.