01/02/2008: "Credit Card Policy For County Reviewed"

Back in 1991 the County had a credit card it allowed county personnel to use. It was assumed it would be helpful in making some county payments to vendors, and one card would keep one stream of records of it’s use. But that came to an end when then auditor Si Stephens sent out a memo to county departments stating he had canceled “the County VISA card ”due to constant misuse.”

Auditor Milene Henley has reported to the Council that by1995 the state passed legislation (RCW 43.09.2855) that authorized credit card use by local governments, as long as there is a ”tracking system of the distribution, authorization, control, credit limits, and payments”. Oh, and it also forbids “cash advances.”

Currently there are 32 credit card accounts for county use. Henley presented a required annual review of the County credit card policy to the County Council, and made recommendations based on what she labeled “five areas of concern”.. One recommendation is to raise the limit on some of the cards, but to allow only the Auditor to contact the card vendor to request an increase. Other recommendations are that departments send a signed statement to the Auditor that they have read the policy statement; incurring late fees will result in the canceling of a department card, and personal credit cards cannot be used for County business -except in case of emergency and travel expenses.

Henley recommends three changes to the current policy: 1.) Increase card limits to $5,000; 2.) Instruct the Auditor to cancel cards if they have incurred late fees twice in one year, and 3.) prohibit the use of personal credit cards.

At the end of Henley’s presentation, it was moved by Ranker (seconded by Knapp) to begin the process of holding a public hearing on the suggested changes to the existing policy on credit cards