From:	C.D. Crepps
To:	Department Contacts
Cc:	Finance Office
Subject:	vendor payments

I will be periodically broadcasting information to all of you via email, yet please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email if you should have any questions or concerns for me about what is communicated. While I am sensitive to the fact that this email message is lengthy, please understand that the topic is not simple. I’ve used headings to group my thoughts.

VENDOR PAYMENTS
Due to recommended practices from our financial auditors, grantors, and others, we encourage you to place orders on store accounts, when possible. With store accounts, the store will usually either send an invoice periodically (usually monthly, similar to a credit card) or will issue an invoice with each order so that the County may remit payment quickly.

Credit cards are available for use when a store account is not an option. However, some departments were not issued a County VISA card. Extra cards are available in Finance to borrow for same-day purchases or for travel expenditures. Please see the County’s merchant card policy, which is part of the personnel manual.

In both of these options above, the County claims payment of sales taxes and requests a refund from the State annually for sales taxes paid during the previous fiscal year.

We believe direct purchases by employees should be a last resort used when no other payment method is available. Plus, due to State requirements pertaining to sales taxes, the County cannot claim payment of sales taxes when reimbursing an employee for purchases that the employee made on behalf of the County. We will reimburse paid sales taxes to the employee, yet the amount will be charged against expenditures and not included in our refund request. You may think that you are not hurting the County by making purchases in this manner, even for small purchases. However, one purchase may lead to several purchases and the amount would escalate. Besides, this old adage has truth - “a penny saved is a penny earned.”

Likewise, if you find items less expensive at a local retail shop, when compared to your usual supplier, we want you to buy local and save money. In situations when the local retail shop does not accept credit cards, consider the sales tax as part of the purchase price when comparison shopping.

CONTACT ME
This reminder message is specifically for staff that may assist in the department’s purchasing processes. Please forward to other appropriate staff that may need to receive this message, such as those that EITHER (1) place orders for goods or services, (2) enter requisitions, OR (3) consult with others who do perform either of the first two tasks, AND may not have received this message directly from me.

I am available for one on one discussion and will gladly assist you in any way necessary. We appreciate your time and cooperation with streamlining orders and payments for those orders.