In an effort to avoid a re-occurrence of this month when gasoline credit cards for the Sheriff’s Office were deactivated, the Commissioners Court approved Tuesday an order that will pay certain bills without the initial approval of the Court. Twice in the last three months the county’s Shell gasoline credit cards have been deactivated because of late payment of the bills.
County Judge Brint Carlton believes the order will expedite the payment of bills in the future. Carlton said this order means that bills related to postage, utilities, cable and internet, telephone, cellular service, and credit card charges will be paid automatically by the auditor’s and treasurer’s offices without the Commissioners Court meeting. The Court can then ratify those payments the next week it meets. Carlton said the order will stay in effect until the end of the current fiscal year which ends September 30.
Judge Carlton at the request of County Treasurer Christy Khoury will insist that return envelopes be used in paying bills whenever possible to save on purchasing additional envelopes and assuring the return addresses to the vendors have not changed. Khoury informed the Commissioners that her office has begun electronic fund transfers for certain bills already instead of mailing paper checks. During a workshop Tuesday morning the Commissioners Court discussed possibly changing gasoline vendors, but Auditor Mary Johnson said Shell provides a discount for the county so no change in vendor was recommended.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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