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Commissioners split on $1,000 reimbursement for Commissioner Aguiar; separate payment motion fails
Summary
The board approved the April warrants after removing warrant 69050 (a $1,000 reimbursement to Commissioner Aguiar for legal fees). A separate motion to approve that single warrant failed after a recorded yea and no vote.
The Hot Springs County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s April Accounts Payable Register after removing warrant number 69050, which sought to reimburse Commissioner Bob Aguiar for legal fees. Commissioner Galovich moved to amend the warrant approval to remove 69050; Commissioner Ryan seconded and the amended motion carried.
Commissioner Galovich subsequently moved to approve warrant 69050 payable to Robert Aguiar for $1,000; Commissioner Ryan seconded. Galovich voted yea and Ryan opposed, and the motion failed. Clerk Becky Kersten had reminded Commissioner Aguiar that he needed to recuse himself from any vote on the warrant.
The exchange occurred during the routine approval of bills and payroll. Commissioner Ryan told the board he intended to vote against the reimbursement; Commissioner Aguiar said he did not agree with the outcome and said he had “secured the services of an attorney to defend a decision he had made as a Commissioner.” The meeting record does not show a vote by Commissioner Aguiar on the separate motion.
The board approved the remainder of the Accounts Payable Register (originally warrants 68982–69099) with the amended total of $454,619.40, and payroll was recorded as $217,710.46. No additional disciplinary or ethics action was taken at the meeting.
