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Commissioners approve $3.11 million in vouchers as questions linger about public defender travel costs
Summary
Potter County Commissioners approved vouchers and raised questions about rising travel and housing costs tied to the public defender and out-of-county inmate housing. The court also confirmed a temporary jail medical contract used in a provider gap.
Potter County Commissioners on Feb. 24 approved payment of vouchers (check numbers 215449 through 215641 and wire transfers 2251'254) totaling $3,111,561.97 after a brief discussion about travel-related line items.
A commissioner asked why travel and mileage entries attributed to the public defender's office appeared higher than in past periods, noting several entries spanning multiple pages of the voucher packet. Auditing staff said some travel was for magistrations and trips to satellite offices and that department heads should provide further explanation. "They travel from here to the jail for magistrations," an auditor said, adding travel is budgeted for those duties. The question was referred to the oversight board and commissioners said they would follow up.
Staff also clarified an item on page 8 (check 215546) as a temporary contract with Family Care Clinic of Panhandle to provide medical services to the jail for a roughly 10-day gap between providers; the county entered that short-term contract in December. "That is for the temporary contract that we entered into with a local provider to provide medical services to the jail for the 10-day gap between our old medical provider and our new medical provider that started January 1," a staff member said.
The motion to approve the vouchers passed on a voice vote, with the judge announcing the motion carried 5-0.
