Commissioners impose purchase restrictions after highway department overspends budget lines

Commissioners confronted the highway department's overspending across several budget lines — notably fuel and repair accounts — and ordered that the superintendent obtain commissioner approval before making purchases. Chair said the county will not authorize repairs or purchases made without prior approval and asked vendors to be notified that charges will not be accepted without commissioner authorization.

Several commissioners warned that, absent transferred appropriations, necessary repairs may be delayed and some vehicles could be taken out of service. "You can't make any repairs 1st and then give you the bill forward to see if it gets paid," the chair said. The board agreed to address appropriation transfers and formalize the purchase moratorium at an upcoming council meeting.