Ragsdale sounds retreat on charge cards

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale has decided to start all over with the County's purchasing cards. He likes the solution so well that he has suspended the cards for everyone in County government, even for those who don't report to him. County officials and employees will have to reapply for purchasing cards; their current cards will stop working on Monday.

The decision has already caused a minor outrage.

Commissioner Scott Moore, however, said suspending the use of the cards with one day's notice could cause a hardship on employees. He asserted that the Sheriff's Office buys food for inmates and that Engineering and Public Works employees in the field make efficient use of the cards.

Every county employee issued a purchasing card, Moore said, is being punished for misspending in the mayor's office.

This strikes me as the latest chapter in the County's efforts to manage the perception of its problems rather than the reality. Just a few weeks ago, it was decided that adding more members of the public to the Ethics Commission would be a good way to improve public trust in the government. Stay tuned. This drama is bound to continue.