Burke County commissioners voted to pay outstanding legal invoices and insurance deductibles tied to sheriff's office cases from the sheriff's current departmental budget rather than appropriating additional county funds. The outstanding amount presented at the meeting totaled $37,004.67.

County staff outlined several invoices, including multiple legal invoices and insurance-related deductibles tied to cases named in the report. Commissioners questioned whether the sheriff's office should absorb the costs in its existing lines or whether the board should appropriate additional funds to cover the charges and avoid the sheriff running out of budget before the last payroll in September.

Some commissioners argued that the sheriff's office should find funds within its own budget, citing travel and other expenditures earlier in the fiscal period. Others said the bills must be paid promptly because they are attorney and insurance invoices.

After discussion, a motion to pay the bills out of the sheriff's current budget passed. The board recorded that the invoices will be charged to the sheriff's office insurance or professional services lines as appropriate, and staff noted that department budgets are being monitored for the remainder of the fiscal year.

No additional appropriation was approved at the meeting; commissioners asked the sheriff's office to identify specific line items to be charged for each invoice and to report budget status as the fiscal year progresses.