Commissioner moves to use stipend to buy $26,231 in protective vests for ambulance crew

A commissioner (S5) moved that the board take $26,231.32 from the county stipend to purchase 14 alpha ballistic/sharps protection vests for the local ambulance service. "I make a motion that we take $26,231.32 out of this stipend so we can put our ambulance people in a, safer situation by buying them…" S5 said during the meeting.

Chair (S1) responded that the matter had been discussed previously and told the commissioner handling the purchase to proceed: "It's already been decided, but if you wanna vote on it again, I guess… Take care of it, Tony." The transcript records voice agreement and procedural closure but does not show a formal roll-call vote or a recorded tally. The motion as presented would pay for 14 vests at the quoted price from Keesler Police Supply and was said in the meeting to be handled from the stipend funding stream.