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Resident questions $144,000 county-attorney budget amendment on consent agenda, urges more public discussion
Summary
A member of the public told commissioners a $144,000 budget adjustment for the county attorney should not have appeared on the consent agenda and urged that future budget amendments be presented in open discussion. He called for greater transparency as the county enters a new budget season.
Joseph Cormier used his two minutes of public comment on July 15 to call attention to the contents of that day's consent agenda and to urge a change in practice. He singled out a $144,000 budget adjustment for the county attorney and said it should have been brought forward with public discussion rather than placed on consent.
"I don't understand why there was a budget adjustment on there for $144,000 for the county attorney," Cormier said. He recommended that future budget amendments be presented and discussed rather than folded into consent, and asked the board to consider the coming budget season with greater transparency. The board did not remove the consent items at the meeting.
The comment flagged a prospect for administrative follow-up about consent-agenda practices and documentation; staff did not provide a detailed response to this request during the meeting transcript.
