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BACKUS-Cass County Board put into a new written Electronic Transaction Policy the practices it's been using to govern electronic payments the county uses.

Chief Financial Officer Sandra Norikane informed the board Tuesday, Oct. 16, she was unable to find any documentation in older county board minutes that authorized practices the county used to make payments or accept payments electronically or for employees who issued county payment or credit cards.

Practices followed state statutes, she said, adding there was no reason to believe any employee abused the county policy to only use credit cards for county purchases. However, the auditors told the board there should be a written policy.

This new policy states the county must make clear to anyone who pays their property taxes or a county fee with a credit card that there will be a transaction fee added to the payer's charges for processing the transaction. The county does not pay that transaction cost.

The policy also authorizes the chief deputy auditor-treasurer to use electronic payment systems to transfer county money between accounts and to accept payments and make payments electronically within the budget framework.

Employees authorized to use a county credit card must provide receipts or invoices to the county when using the card, which later can be checked against monthly statements.

Personnel using these cards are required to inform the seller of the county's sales tax exemption status.

Employees may charge only the county authorized items on the card. For example, if a worker buys gas at a private gas station for a county-owned vehicle, that worker must pay separately from their own pocket for a soda or candy bar bought at the same time and place.

One new practice will be that each employee issued a credit card or fleet card will now be required to sign a form stating they read the written policy, will follow it, and that they agree to a payroll deduction for any non-county purchases on it, that they can be disciplined (including employment termination) if they fail to follow it and that they must promptly report any lost or stolen county credit card issued to them or be liable for charges made on it resulting from the loss or theft.

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