Commissioners move to tighten credit-card policy, assign staff to rewrite handbook language

Banner County commissioners spent a lengthy portion of the Jan. 20 meeting reviewing the countys credit-card authorization and proposed handbook changes. Discussion items included limiting cardholders, requiring check-in/check-out control over any courthouse card, disallowing personal use and alcohol or entertainment purchases, moving meals to a reimbursement system, and clearly defining merchant categories (Staples/office supplies, tools/shop supplies for road department, law-enforcement subscriptions).

Multiple speakers urged an accountability system (one card checked out by a responsible staffer, receipts required, and a policy that rebates belong to the county). Commissioners discussed maintaining a county-issued card for gas and office purchases while encouraging department-level controls for specialized needs (e.g., sheriffs travel). The board agreed not to expand meal coverage on the card and favored reimbursing meals with receipts.

Casey (staff) was tasked to consolidate edits into a word-format credit-card policy and to forward the revised policy and handbook edits to the commissioners for review before the next meeting. The board also discussed establishing a petty-cash process for small incidental purchases and creating a clearly labeled budget line for recurring charges where appropriate.