Hamilton County Commissioner critiques bond expenditures, but requests purchase

photo Tim Boyd

A week after Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd criticized a policy that tied $900,000 in annual commission discretionary funds to bond debt, he proposed buying an $11,000 sculpture with the funds.

Commissioners will vote - and likely approve - a measure next week to allow Boyd to purchase an abstract art sculpture made by artist Andrew Light with $11,670 from his $100,000 discretionary fund. It will be his first discretionary purchase this fiscal year, which started July 1.

Boyd said Wednesday during a commission agenda meeting that the piece used to be displayed near the Riverpark on loan from the artist, but the Brainerd Hills Neighborhood Association asked him to buy the piece for the neighborhood.

County Finance Administrator Al Kiser said the purchase qualifies for bond funding because it would last longer than 15 years and it would be placed on municipal property at the corner of Bass Road and Old Bird's Mill Road in Brainerd.

Despite requesting the purchase, Boyd said he still is opposed to taking on debt for discretionary expenditures.

"I don't like that we are going to use bond funds for discretionary spending," he said after the meeting. "I hate that my grandkids are going to be paying for my discretionary fund."

This will be the third art installation Boyd has purchased with the funds since he was elected to represent District 8 in 2010.

He has purchased or commissioned art pieces near the McCallie Tunnels and near the Belvoir neighborhood, he said.

No commissioner questioned the purchase, and Chairman Jim Fields said he expected approval next week.

In the same meeting, Boyd took issue with a proposed $258,000 expenditure to upgrade financial and human resources software for the county, because it would be paid for with bond funds.

Kiser said the county initially bought the software, known as IFAS, for $2.2 million more than a decade ago, and the last time it was upgraded was in 2010.

From the total, $133,000 would go toward the software, $100,000 would help pay for implementing it and $25,000 would be spent on training - although training may not be necessary.

Boyd questioned whether the project could be paid with bond funds, since part of the money would go toward paying a specialist $50 an hour for implementation.

Kiser said the project qualified because it was a long-term project, and bond funds could be used to pay contractors - but not county employees.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon @lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

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