Transparency continues to be an issue in government for Warren County Jail purchases.

According to Commissioner Steven Helton, radios and computers have been purchased without committee oversight. 

“I just want to make sure everyone knows that this money has been spent,” said Helton, chairman of the county’s Correction Partnership Committee. “It looks like the total is around $75,000.”

He presented a list of items to members of the county’s Correction Partnership Committee. It contained items totaling $75,123 paid for out of the $1 million allocated from the $6.5 million bond money: tasers $18,575; computer upgrades $39,473; air conditioner replacement $7,500; and radios $9,575 – a total of $75,123. 

“The items that I’m not familiar with, which are new to me, would be the radios and the computer upgrades,” said Helton. 

County Executive Jimmy Haley says committee approval was not required and procedure was followed.

“These were on the list of items that yall picked out that needed to be done,” said Haley. “We took and followed Financial Management procedure by piggybacking on state bids and other bids that the school system had. I don’t know what else we were supposed to do. The jail’s Corrections Partnership doesn’t approve purchases.”

Helton replied, “No, but we are financial stewards of this county and I’m curious, line item by line item, how much we are going to spend.”

Computer upgrades include 25 computers, monitors, and mounts as well as two laptops, monitors, docking stations, and mouse/keyboard combos were requested by Sheriff Tommy Myers and included on a Plan of Action for jail improvements. The items were purchased at the end April off of TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System) contract.

“If you recall, we had a discussion that we were piggybacking on the school system so the wiring and computer upgrades were all done through that contract,” said Haley. 

Helton stated, “What exactly did we purchase?”

“We did wiring and we have purchased computers,” said Haley. “You couldn’t have computers without the wiring.”

Helton stated, “How much more money are we spending on computer upgrades?”

“I’m not sure, because they don’t have everything yet,” said Haley. “We’re waiting on those. These numbers are what we’ve done thus far.” 

Helton stated, “Are we half way, a quarter way there?”

“We are almost through,” said Haley. “We still have to integrate some wiring, because we still have the cameras and the security system and the door locks as well so there will be some additional wiring that has to be done there as well.”

Helton stated, “I’m just trying to figure out total cost here.”

“I will get you the final numbers, but we do not have the final numbers yet,” said Haley.

According to Warren County Finance Department director Justin Cotten, the air conditioner replacement and radios were under $10,000 did not exceed the threshold to require being presented to the county’s Financial Management Committee and since TIPS is one of the approved cooperative purchasing agreements acceptable under the county’s Financial Management policy, the computer upgrades also did not require committee approval.