County commissioners can spend money they receive from the county for travel expenses on computers for themselves, but only three of nine commissioners have done so within the last two years.
In 2008 and 2009, commissioners Greg Beck and Warren Mackey and former commissioner Bill Hullander bought computers using part of their $8,000 travel account. Commissioner Larry Henry still uses a computer he received around 2002.
COUNTY COMMISSION COMPUTERSCommissioner purchases in 2008 and 2009* Greg Beck: Tech Express desktop computer, $1,129* Bill Hullander: Apple MacBook, $1,384* Warren Mackey: SOS Computers Laptop Notebook, $1,378Source: Hamilton County Finance Division
Commissioners receive the computers for their work as elected officials, County Administrator of Finance Louis Wright said. He said the purchases fell under the county’s purchasing rules because the computers cost more than $1,000. The county received bids for the purchases, he said.
The travel money can be used for any “legitimate business” the commissioners are doing as county representatives, Wright said.
“That travel money can be used to attend seminars,” he added.
Commissioners are allowed to take the computers home.
Hullander, who left the commission to become county trustee, gave his computer back to the county. He said his Apple MacBook was primarily for his work as chairman of the county’s Zoning Committee, and he used it to look up property addresses and check e-mail.
“It was pretty helpful when I used it,” Hullander said.
Beck said he keeps his county-funded desktop computer at home. He said he does not trust laptop computers, calling himself an “old timer.”
“I think that’s mainly what I got mine for, was access to county business,” he said.
Mackey said his computer helps him stay in touch with his constituents. He said he does not have a county phone or an office.
“I tend to try to use the technology just to expedite and make things flow more efficiently,” he said.
Wright said some items are still printed and distributed, like the enormous bound books used during budget hearings that cost $109 each. But he said the budget would be “really hard” to read if it was on a computer.
Commissioners also routinely receive printed agendas and other items in their mail.
Commissioner Jim Coppinger wasn’t aware the commissioners could buy computers with their travel money. He said moving things into electronic format is “the way it ought to be done.”
“It’s a lot handier than the paper, because you can even go back and scan stuff and even look at your files without having mountains of paper,” Coppinger said.
Commissioner Jim Fields said he was told he could receive a county-purchased computer, but opted to use his personal laptop instead.
“There’s no reason to be spending county money when I’ve got something that does the job just as well,” he said.