Commissioners approve claims, question prosecutor billboard expense and multiple bottled-water charges

Johnson County commissioners on Sept. 8 approved claims presented for payment but discussed two items the board said warranted further scrutiny: a $4,188.75 billboard purchase tied to the prosecutor's pretrial diversion program and repeated bottled-water charges across county locations.

One commissioner described the billboard as featuring the prosecutor and the sheriff with a public-safety message; the commissioner said he supported the message but questioned whether $4,188.75 was a prudent use of program funds and invited the prosecutor to provide justification. The transcript records the claim amount as $4,188.75.

The board also discussed that Petro's Culligan appeared on claims for bottled-water disbursements in 22 separate locations. A commissioner suggested installing shared water coolers or fountain units to reduce recurring charges; another commissioner said such fountain units cost about $6,000 each. Commissioners approved the claims but asked for follow-up and possible alternatives to recurring bottled-water purchases.

No formal audit or policy change was approved during the meeting; commissioners asked that the prosecutor or staff contact them with additional justification for the billboard expense and to explore options for reducing bottled-water costs.