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Bandera County Auditor Darryl Sadler discusses payroll travel expenses with commissioners during their regular meeting last Thursday.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
June 14, 2023
Commissioners Court Briefing
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Bandera County commissioners bid Veteran’s Service Officer Victor Polanco, IV, adieu. He submitted his letter of resignation, effective June 30. He plans to head a veterans program at the Silver Sage.
“We appreciate the work you’ve done,” County Judge Richard Evans said last Thursday. “If you change your mind, we could always rescind action.”
In other business, commissioners approved a moratorium on requests for Covid Local Fiscal Recovery funds, with the exception of the consideration of a $10,000 request from the Utopia Senior Center.
Evans said several large expenses are on the horizon, including dispatch radios and new software, all of which will easily exceed $1 million, County Auditor Darryl Sadler said.
“The more we give away, the more it will cut into the county budget,” Evans said.
The fund’s remaining balance is $1,012,000. The court may approve spending through Sept. 2024, and has until 2026 to release the funds.
~ In response to some frequent issues that have arisen with regard to payroll, Sadler asked commissioners to clarify the county’s policy on business travel expenses. Among the revisions, only elected officials and department heads may authorize overnight stays before a conference that begins the next day.
“This only applies to prior night lodging…for people who couldn’t normally drive there in the morning and make it before the conference starts,” Sadler said. “Local government code says I cannot pay something the county is not legally required to pay. If an elected official or appointed department head directs someone to be there, then legally I have to pay it.”
Other clarifications included hotel stays for multi-day conferences with evening events. Sadler recommended approval only if the conference was at least 60 miles away, or if evening functions were required and official.
Commissioners approved paid time for breakfast and lunch during conferences, and evening receptions/dinners if posted on an agenda as a working event. Finally, commissioners approved a minimum of eight hours guaranteed on each conference day.
“We appreciate the work you’ve done,” County Judge Richard Evans said last Thursday. “If you change your mind, we could always rescind action.”
In other business, commissioners approved a moratorium on requests for Covid Local Fiscal Recovery funds, with the exception of the consideration of a $10,000 request from the Utopia Senior Center.
Evans said several large expenses are on the horizon, including dispatch radios and new software, all of which will easily exceed $1 million, County Auditor Darryl Sadler said.
“The more we give away, the more it will cut into the county budget,” Evans said.
The fund’s remaining balance is $1,012,000. The court may approve spending through Sept. 2024, and has until 2026 to release the funds.
~ In response to some frequent issues that have arisen with regard to payroll, Sadler asked commissioners to clarify the county’s policy on business travel expenses. Among the revisions, only elected officials and department heads may authorize overnight stays before a conference that begins the next day.
“This only applies to prior night lodging…for people who couldn’t normally drive there in the morning and make it before the conference starts,” Sadler said. “Local government code says I cannot pay something the county is not legally required to pay. If an elected official or appointed department head directs someone to be there, then legally I have to pay it.”
Other clarifications included hotel stays for multi-day conferences with evening events. Sadler recommended approval only if the conference was at least 60 miles away, or if evening functions were required and official.
Commissioners approved paid time for breakfast and lunch during conferences, and evening receptions/dinners if posted on an agenda as a working event. Finally, commissioners approved a minimum of eight hours guaranteed on each conference day.