Spartanburg County Council Moves to Limit Sheriff’s Credit Card Spending Amid Controversy

A New Chapter in Spartanburg: County Council to Curb Credit Card Spending by Sheriff

Welcome to another sunny day in Spartanburg, where we’re shaking things up in our local administration. It was around 80F, and the atmosphere was as hot as the topic of credit card spending limits. Our very own Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright might soon find his credit card expenditures under some definite county-set limitations.

Behind the scenes

Now, according to several council members, Spartanburg County Council is actively working on a plan to reign in the Sheriff’s credit card spending. These discussions have taken place in private conversations and executive sessions, which are essentially closed-door meetings where the council can seek legal advice and tackle sensitive topics. The last of these discussions occurred as recently as October 21, 2024.

“We’ve talked a little bit about it in executive session today,” Councilwoman Jessica Coker said. She didn’t spill the beans on all the details, but she acknowledged that it’s an issue that needs attention.

An overview of the spending spree

You might ask, why all this fuss about spending? Here’s the scoop. Between December 2018 to April 2024, Sheriff Wright racked up more than $53,600 on his county-funded credit card! This includes a whopping $8,000 spent on food, another $8,000 on high-end hotels, and not to be forgotten, $12,000 in Apple.com purchases. And get this – no receipts were kept!

Remember folks, using the county’s P-card system for food and Amazon purchases is a no-no and goes back to 2006. This system also requires employees to keep receipts for audits and does not allow cards to be used for personal items. The twist? The Sheriff’s card is the only county-funded card operating outside of the P-card system!

What’s next?

So what does this mean going forward? According to Councilman Monier Abusaft, the council members will be fine-tuning the rules for all purchasing cards over the next few meetings. His view? Treat all purchasing cards equally.

“The advantage of the P-card program is that all the justification happens on the front end, so there is no appearance of impropriety,” Abusaft noted.

Councilman Jack Mabry, meanwhile, figured it might take a few months to sort out the kinks and have a solid plan in place. It’s important to consider that Sheriff Wright is an elected official, and County Council only has jurisdiction over the Sheriff’s Office budget. While Mabry didn’t want to get ahead of the game and delve deep into the details before all council members were aligned, he strongly felt that change was necessary.

“Some people are gonna be a little averse to the change, but I think it’ll be good,” he added optimistically.

Yes, folks, change is in the Spartanburg air, clear as today’s skies. It isn’t always easy, but it’s often necessary. While concrete plans haven’t been laid out, we can be sure that the council is committed to addressing the issue. So, let’s keep our eyes open for updates and remember that change, like the winds, can bring a fresh and crisp perspective to our beautiful city.