Valley County grants facilities director $7,500 signature authority; board to refine emergency and procurement rules

Valley County commissioners on Wednesday approved giving Facilities Director Terry Kennedy signature authority up to $7,500 for fiscal year 2026 as part of a workshop on the county’s procurement and signatory authority process.

The workshop, which commissioners said was meant to speed routine maintenance and emergency repairs while preserving legal and budgetary oversight, included detailed discussion of the county’s current procurement policy, the need to use county‑approved contract templates that meet Idaho statutory requirements, and options for preapproved vendor lists and an emergency approval clause.

The policy was adopted to align county practice with Idaho law and to prevent employees from signing outside vendor contracts that may not contain required provisions. A county staff member explained the legal baseline: "The original authority to sign a contract for Valley County rests with this board right here.…