Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Going forward, the chairperson of the Jefferson County Commission will be reviewing all invoices and hand signing all checks instead of resorting to a signature stamp, one of the latest changes adopted by the board to ensure for a tighter control of expenditures.
The issue is one that Commissioner Betsy Barfield suggested at an earlier meeting, noting that it would require the chairperson to review all invoices and make sure that they were legitimate and accurately reflected the check amounts.
“And why am I asking for this?” Barfield said. “It’s going to be an exercise in learning how we are spending our money. Yes, we have a check register. But that doesn’t show us those invoices and exactly where that money is going. I think this will be something that will help us learn what we’re spending money on.”
Commissioner J. T. Surles offered that the practice that Barfield was proposing was not uncommon. In fact, he said, it was one that Chris Moran, the county auditor, also recommended.
Commissioner Chris Tuten followed up on the suggestion and reported his findings to the board on Thursday evening, April 7. The chair having to hand sign all checks, Tuten said, would ensure that the appropriate paperwork was in order and it would avoid confusion.
He noted an instance when Commissioner Stephen Walker had ceased being the chairman and a check bearing his signature stamp had nonetheless been mailed out without his knowledge or consent.
“This will cut out a lot of confusion and assure that we won’t miss anything, if the chairperson actually signs the check.” Tuten said.
Clerk of Court Kirk Reams supported the move. He explained that going forward, all checks that required a signature would come with the attached invoices.
“It will be a physical check and the chairman will have to sign it, and I will have to sign it,” Reams said.
Moreover, he said, each invoice would have the appropriate account number, how much money remained in the particular budget line, and it would also have the department head’s signature to verify that it was a legitimate expenditure.
The commission unanimously approved the measure, effective immediately.