Commissioners approve paying for trustee work release meals as a business expense

Marshall County Commissioner Stan Klotz brought up a concern with Trustee Work Release Meals at the commissioner’s meeting on Monday. 

Klotz said, “This has been a concern for quite some time because we do have trustees from the jail come in and work around the county, and we feel like we should feed them.”  He said it is a burden on the jail to have to pack lunches for trustees who can work outside the facility.

Klotz said that in the past, multiple individuals have contributed to paying for the trustee's lunches out of their own pockets. He said there is a new way the county can address this issue, with plans to use trustees more around the county instead of hiring part-time help.   

The State Board of Accounts has established a method for the county to reimburse itself for these meals instead of paying wages. 

County Auditor Angie Birchmeier said it has to be determined to be a legitimate business expense of the county in order to pay for the lunches. She explained that typically, lunch or a meal is a personal expense that is reimbursable.  Birchmeier said, “If the commissioners want to move down this path, you are going to have to consider this a legitimate business function of the county, and you are doing it in lieu of payment; then you can word that in the motion.”

Commissioner Klotz said they don’t need a resolution or ordinance to move forward; it only needs to be documented in the meeting minutes.  He said, “In case of an audit, they can refer back to the minutes and see how we wanted to address trustee meals.”   

Commissioner Jesse Bohannon said, “This is a win-win situation. I’ve heard that the trustees at the jail appreciate the opportunity to get out and not be locked up all day long, and it’s a win for us because we can save some money on labor.” 

Klotz said they used two to four guys a day to help with moving the Health Department out of the Community Resource Center and into the new building at 990 Illinois Street on the east side of Plymouth. 

The commissioners unanimously approved the county paying for the trustee work release meals.