County employee discloses private vehicle-upfitting business; board suggests vendor registration or full bid process

A county employee identified as Jordan disclosed to the Keith County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 26 that he co‑owns a private company that performs vehicle upfitting, and said the county roads department had asked the firm to install specialized interior warning lighting on a new county pickup.

Jordan told the board: "I also own a private business outside of my daily job," and explained his private work includes in‑vehicle lighting that he said few vendors in the region can install.

County officials discussed whether Jordan's work triggered a formal conflict of interest process. County legal and administrative staff advised that disclosure is required and that whether an employee may perform work for the county can depend on whether the procurement must be publicly bid and whether the dollar amount exceeds local bid thresholds. One staff member noted the current anticipated job was small — roughly $3,000 — and likely below formal public bid thresholds but cautioned that conflicts rules still apply and documentation should be filed.

Commissioners encouraged Jordan to submit details of the proposed work and pricing, and suggested two possible paths: (1) proceed with a one‑time disclosure and county review for this narrow job if legally permissible, or (2) pursue formal vendor approval as a specialized-services vendor so the company could be considered for future work without repeated disclosures. Several commissioners said a vendor approval or formal county bid process could reduce repeated disclosures for routine maintenance while maintaining transparency.

No formal vote or disqualification was taken at the meeting. County staff and the county attorney were asked to research the statutes and administrative process, confirm disclosure forms required, and return with written guidance.