Stanislaus County employees did not violate county policy when they bought items without getting competitive quotes, county officials said Tuesday.

The county's opinion opposed the findings in a civil grand jury's annual county audit released in July.

Reagan Wilson, the county's chief executive officer, said the county's credit card policy "encourages" competitive quotes, but the report assumes the policy requires it.

"The policy doesn't actually say that," Wilson said. "As a practical matter, we want people to seek competitive quotes."

Supervisors Nick Blom, Paul Caruso, Tom Mayfield, Pat Paul and Ray Simon unanimously accepted the responses to multiple grand jury reports Tuesday.

The reports addressed:

• The audit.
• The county's role in paying for county patients sent to the emergency room at Doctor's Medical Center in Modesto.
• The Community Service Agency's reclassification of employees.
• Conditions at the county jails.

Though the county agreed with most of the findings and recommendations in the other reports, some cannot be done because of lack of money. The county found a few recommendations unnecessary.

The grand jury, for example, recommended the county conduct an analysis of the money the county saves by using credit cards as opposed to traditional purchase orders.

The county auditor-controller already estimated that the county saves about $500,000 a year by eliminating purchase requests. The county saves an additional $2 million through bulk contracts.

In another report, the grand jury found that the Community Services Agency did not unfairly rescind a 2 percent raise to some employees who had been reclassified as interns.

The grand jury also sided with the county's Health Services Agency, finding that Doctor's Medical Center was responsible for the costs of emergency room services as stated in an agreement between the county and the hospital. The county agreed with findings in the report.

A complaint that prompted the investigation claimed the county clinic staff sent their clients to the emergency room for free services.

The report however, recommends that county clinics refer only those patients who need emergency care to the hospital's emergency room. County staff said that that already was being done.

Wilson said the costs were not related to the county's contract.

"Like everywhere else, there's a demand for emergency care," Wilson said.

The report also recommends that the county extend its clinics' hours and publicize its clinics' services and fees, including the county's urgent care clinic. The county agreed, but officials said funding restraints will limit how much publicity they can give the clinics.

Similarly, the Sheriff's Department agrees with the grand jury's recommendation to replace the old downtown jail, which primarily holds maximum security inmates, and improve juvenile hall.

County officials estimate a new maximum security facility near the Public Safety Center, where many other county inmates are housed, could cost up to $80 million, and so far they don't have the money to build it.

Bee staff writer Alejandra Navarro can be reached at 578-2339 or anavarro@modbee.com.

Reprinted by permission of The Modesto Bee.