Fayette County commissioners approved the county’s vouchers and payroll at the Sept. 3 meeting but placed three payables on record as needing additional documentation or formal bidding, county staff said.

County staff told the commission that three projects in the vouchers packet lacked the required three written quotes. The items flagged were paving at Valley Bridge, an equipment order from Mid Atlantic Rescue Systems, and Howe Rescue fans and batteries. Staff said one of those purchases (the fans and batteries) must be publicly bid because its budgeted amount exceeds the county’s competitive‑quote threshold and because state purchasing rules apply even when state funds pay for the items.

The staff representative (Josh) placed vendor quote records on the record during the meeting: for Valley Bridge paving he provided three vendor quotes (the chosen price reported at roughly $12,000 compared with competing quotes of about $17,800 and $28,000). For gloves and small rescue equipment, Mid Atlantic Rescue Systems’ quote (about $72 per pair for a listed item) was included; for the Howe Rescue fans and batteries, Howe’s bid was reported as the lowest with competing bids higher by several thousand dollars.

County staff told commissioners the remedy is to document the procurement attempts (who was asked for quotes) and, for the fans and other purchases above the threshold, to bid or obtain required quotes. Staff also said the procurement rules still apply if state money is the funding source and that the county has an oversight obligation to ensure bidding requirements are followed.

The commission voted to approve the vouchers while explicitly accepting the staff’s conditions: staff must document the solicitation history and supply the required quotes or move to a formal bid where applicable. The board also approved routine items — payroll for Sept. 5, meeting minutes and state settlements — by voice vote during the session.

Separately during the meeting, commissioners approved an annual renewal authorization for an electrical inspection contract that staff said should be reissued annually unless the vendor changes rates; commissioners asked the prosecuting attorney to craft language allowing the county president to sign the contract annually once the attorney’s change is made.