MORATORIUM ON P-CARDS UNTIL AUDIT AND INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE COMPLETED

Time for a moratorium on purchase cards (p-cards) usage in DeKalb County. DeKalb County must implement a moratorium on purchase cards to regain public trust and proper oversight of the program.

The recent exposé on Commissioner Elaine Boyer and Commissioner Sharon Barnes-Sutton has created a cloud of distrust, waste, abuse and corruption (borderline alleged illegal activity) involving the use of p-cards for personal use such as paying for speeding tickets to financing a ski resort trip. The common factor each commissioner recites involves their lack of knowledge of policy, procedures, keeping proper records, etc.

A moratorium on purchase cards involves the following:

1. Moratorium on further independent usage of the purchase cards until the audit is complete. We must improve management oversight and internal control of the purchase card program.
2. Cardholders must submit supporting documentation to the program for review and override within 24-72 hours. Documentation must include all purchases made with p-cards with verification that such purchases were for county purposes.
3. Blockage of high risk transactions and categories must be part of the program to deliver red flags to administrators responsible for oversight.
4. Develop training sessions on p-card policy and procedures for purchase cardholders and approving officials to address the non-compliance issues.
5. Depending on the severity of the violations, cardholders and approving officials in violation of agency policy and/or procedures may have their authority revoked, suspended, and/or possibly be subject to termination and/or civil/criminal prosecution.

Once a pattern of abuse is verified through the audit, the individuals in willful and flagrant violation of the purchase card policy and procedure must be held accountable with civil and criminal charges to the fullest extent of the law.