Mon
Sep 10 2007
04:28 pm
Ragsdale to adopt P-Card committee recommendations
By: R. Neal

Mayor Ragsdale has released the review and final recommendations of the P-Card Review Committee, and says in a separate news release that his office will recommend that "almost all" be implemented. It will require amendments to the current purchasing regulations and approval by County Commission.

UPDATE: Asked about "almost all" recommendations, a spokesperson for the Mayor's office provided the following clarifications.

First, regarding the recommendation for "full oversight by staff in the Finance Department." Two options are mentioned: a new full-time position or a reassignment of duties of two or more staff in the Purchasing Department. The Mayor's office will recommend "the assignment of responsibilities to staff in both Purchasing and in Finance. Purchasing staff will oversee the issuance of cards and monitor the use of them, while Finance will provide a redundant reconciliation. The statements will be reconciled at the department level, then a copy of the statement, with copies of all receipts and supporting documentation, will go to Finance for a second reconciliation."

Second, the recommendation to "Require employee travel to be approved in advance and attach approved request to charge statement" will be partially adopted, because under new travel regulations all travel will be approved in advance but there should be no travel-related charges on p-cards.

Further, "Meals will be on the standard per diem, and travel, lodging, conference expenditures will not be paid by p-card. Those expenses can be paid by requisition or reimbursement. Eventually a limited number of travel cards may be issued and those may be used to pay travel expenses only."

Topics:
spratt's picture

Sounds to me like the

Submitted by spratt on Mon, 2007/09/10 - 6:24pm.

Sounds to me like the "changes" being made to P card use are really nothing more than going back to the rules that have been in place for all county employees (except apparently for some in 615) from the beginning.

"Purchasing staff will oversee the issuance of cards and monitor the use of them, while Finance will provide a redundant reconciliation. The statements will be reconciled at the department level, then a copy of the statement, with copies of all receipts and supporting documentation, will go to Finance for a second reconciliation."

I think that's always been the written policy, and the one that's been followed by most county offices.

"Require employee travel to be approved in advance and attach approved request to charge statement"

That has also been the case since before Ragsdale's time.

"Meals will be on the standard per diem, and travel, lodging, conference expenditures will not be paid by p-card. Those expenses can be paid by requisition or reimbursement. Eventually a limited number of travel cards may be issued and those may be used to pay travel expenses only."

Other than the fact that some travel cards may be issued, this has been county policy for years. So what's new?

sp

knoxvegas99's picture

Travel allowance audit released tonight to fireworks

Submitted by knoxvegas99 on Mon, 2007/09/10 - 10:27pm.

Randy, will you forgive an oh-so-gentle hijacking of your thread? The county's internal auditor released his final report on the "travel allowances" tonight, and all in attendance got their money's worth. Paul Pinkston was in rare form, savaging the Mayor (who, by the way, did not make an appearance, leaving John Troyer to bleed in his stead), and it appeared for a time that R. Larry Smith and Lee Tramel might take a difference of opinion outside to settle matters.

But here's the historic news: for the first time ever, the Knox County Commission has invoked its subpoena right under Section 2.02(h) of the charter. Who will be called, when the hearing will be held, are up in the air, but the stage has been set for unparalleled farce. Just the prospect of administration officials pleading the Fifth should be enough to draw record crowds to the large assembly room, and if some commissioners were in a dour mood tonight, wait until they've been grilled for three weeks in Fansler's courtroom.

Larry Van Guilder

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

TN Progressive

TN Politics

Knox TN Today

Local TV News

News Sentinel

    State News

    Wire Reports

    Lost Medicaid Funding

    To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)

    Search and Archives