The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is tightening the purse strings on outgoing Drain Commissioner Christopher Quattrin.
What should have been a routine approval of expenses at this Thursday’s board meeting ended up in a discussion and eventually a change to how much money was approved to pay outstanding County Drain Commission invoices.
On paper, the bills totaled $86,000, but the requested amount was $183,000. That’s when Commissioner Teri Sue Freehling raised the issue.
“I ask this question not because I want to hold it up, but because I realize that we do have a change coming in the office. And that’s a substantial difference in what’s being requested versus what’s needed on what was presented for the (request),” said Freehling.
The $96,000 difference was part of a change order submitted by Quattrin’s office to the commission, but without any explanation of why the approval should be at least twice as much as what was on the invoices.
The board agreed to provide an amount close to the original invoices, not to exceed $90,000, and asked for additional information from the drain commission on the amount over that. If commissioners agree with the additional amount and explanation, they could approve the money at their next meeting.
Quattrin lost his bid for re-election to area farmer George McManus in a hotly-contested primary.
