Neosho County commissioners discuss treasurer staffing, training costs and account signers after executive session

The Neosho County Board of County Commissioners held an executive session Jan. 20 to discuss personnel matters in the treasurer’s office and later reviewed training-related costs, county credit-card access and changes to payroll account signers.

The discussion followed a closed session described by the chair as concerning “personal matters of nonelected personnel regarding the treasurer’s department.” Commissioners returned to open session and stated that no action had been taken during the executive session.

The treasurer, identified in the meeting as Gabby, said deposits for a training program had already been paid and that the initial payments had substantially reduced the department’s available operating funds. Commissioners and staff discussed options for covering the remainder of the training costs; the board agreed to record the overage and track the treasurer’s expenditures for the year rather than immediately transferring funds.

Commissioners and staff also discussed establishing county credit-card access for the treasurer’s office. A county official said they had not yet contacted the bank and that Heather Ellsworth remained the only person then authorized to make changes at the bank; the board asked staff to contact the bank to begin the process of adding treasurer office cards and to consider keeping the same credit limit that had previously been used.

On payroll account signers, the board approved updates to the bank signature card that remove Heather Ellsworth and Paul (last name not specified in the record) and add Kat Deal, Chastity Forker, Gabby (treasurer) and Keely Dodge as authorized signers. The motion was made and seconded and carried with an affirmative vote reported by the chair.

No formal disciplinary or hiring actions relating to the treasurer’s office were announced after the executive session. Commissioners scheduled follow-up on the credit-card setup and said any remaining procedural forms would be circulated for signatures before the next meeting.

The treasurer’s training, credit-card setup and payroll-signature changes are listed as unfinished business for the commission’s next meeting.

Less critical logistical items discussed but not decided included which departmental budget lines would ultimately carry the training expense and a plan for documenting purchases made personally by staff and later reimbursed.