No good deed goes unpunished, the saying goes.
Last week, Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy found a way to come to the aid of the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility.
This week, the idea was shot down.
The issue was a request from ACARF to upgrade its parking lot at the north edge of LaHarpe.
Commissioner Tom Williams supported the idea. Jim Talkington was opposed. And Commission Chairman Jerry Daniels was on the fence, suggesting it be tabled.
Meanwhile, County Counselor Alan Weber checked into county and state statutes and found they precluded county participation, saying “… the governing body of any city or county shall not sell or otherwise provide paving material to any private person or private entity.”
That came after Murphy said he would pay for county rock and equipment use, put at $900, with funds from his VIN (vehicle identification number) account.
As it turns out, though, those funds are not at Murphy’s discretion.
A county resolution from May 2013, notes: “All expenditures from the Allen County VIN account … must be approved by the county commission.”
Murphy told the Register he “will talk to some private contractors” about rock for the parking area. “I’m going to follow up, see if we can get ’er done.”
Commissioners did not say whether they would fuss with Murphy if he followed that path. In the past, VIN revenue has been given to various groups, such as for the flight that carried World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. and for school activities.
Questions have arisen in several counties whether commissioners have latitude to control budgets of individually elected officers, such as sheriffs, once their budgets are approved. The Allen County resolution has not been tested; it also affects diversion funds maintained by the county attorney and grant accounts.
County torpedoes ACARF parking lot
