Council approves expansion of county purchasing-card limits; vote recorded 5–1

Fairfield County Council approved changes to the county purchasing-card program during its June 8 meeting, increasing the countywide monthly cap and authorizing higher individual-card limits for qualifying departments.

County Administrator Mr. Carpenter told council that the county previously operated with two low-limit credit cards and that more departmental cards are needed because vendors increasingly require card payment for time-sensitive purchases. He proposed raising the county’s total monthly limit from $25,000 to $50,000 and increasing typical individual card limits from $2,500 to $5,000, while capping the number of cards and retaining internal oversight. Mr. Carpenter said the plan would allow up to around seven cards countywide, with Finance, Procurement and Administration reviewing approvals.

Council moved and seconded approval of the proposed revisions. The motion passed with the transcript recording the vote as “record show five one.” Finance and procurement will perform monthly and random audits of cardholders and produce regular reports; administrators committed to posting program reports on the county website.

Councilmembers asked how many cards would be issued and about oversight; Mr. Carpenter confirmed finance will verify budget availability before card use and that administration would sign off on higher-limit requests. The change is intended to improve operational efficiency for departments that need expedited purchases for vehicle repairs, parts, supplies and other immediate needs.

The council’s action was recorded on the meeting record; staff will implement controls and reporting as part of the program rollout.