Keith County commissioners authorize temporary $10,000 county credit card

The Keith County Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to authorize a temporary county credit card with a $10,000 limit and to allow the current chair to sign a resolution enabling the account, following billing confusion that had left multiple department cards shut off.

Commissioner Wortman moved to authorize the temporary credit card and the chair to sign the necessary resolution; Commissioner Anderson seconded the motion. The roll call was Schroeder: yes; Anderson: yes; Wortman: yes; Irvin: yes. The motion passed.

The action follows several weeks of work by clerk's office staff to reconcile an apparent past-due balance associated with the county's umbrella account for five department credit cards (account referenced internally as "5500"). County staff reported one missed payment and a set of interest and late charges; bank billing and application of a separate vendor credit created inconsistencies that county staff were still tracing. The board said the suspended cards were disrupting routine purchases and recurring department charges.

Commissioners discussed short-term and longer-term fixes. The approved emergency step gives county staff immediate ability to make purchases while staff continues to reconcile the disputed amount and pursue an itemized statement from the credit card vendor. Commissioner Anderson said county staff should return with a written plan for controls and monitoring of department card usage.

No additional appropriations were made. The board recorded the authorization as a temporary administrative measure to restore operations while the clerk's office completes the billing review.