Who needs authorization to spend money?
Friday, November 21st, 2008
While the size and scope of this controversy is peanuts compared to many controversies, it is certainly causing a stir in Burnett County, WI.Â
The Burnett County Sentinel reports…
In the end, a lack of communication caused some uneasy moments for Burnett County supervisors last Thursday.
At issue was a fact-finding trip to the east coast which appeared no one had authorized.
The trip in question was a land protection tour, including discussions on issues such as conservation easements and development rights. The tour was in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
But where did the money come from?
“Jake (forestry administrator Jake Nichols) comes to us looking to hire a new position. We don’t have the money, or Health and Human Services comes looking to hire a new position, we don’t have the money,†supervisor Norm Bickford said at the natural resources committee meeting.
“But we have the money for two county supervisors to go off on a junket?â€
The tour was brought to the committee’s attention by Dave Ferris, the county conservationist, earlier in the fall, but no one from the committee signed up.
“This trip wasn’t approved by any committee, it wasn’t in the budget — how’d it happen?†supervisor Maury Miller questioned.
No one had an answer.
Except board chairman Phil Lindeman, who told The Sentinel he authorized the trip.
“I think what happened is we were on a short time line and we didn’t have a chance to go to the full board,†Lindeman explained. “It was a training type of deal and even though there wasn’t money in the budget, we have a discretionary budget to use for these things.â€
My question about this whole issue?
Why is there no money in a “training” fund?
There should be.
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