Okaloosa County adopted rules aimed at preventing a replay of the incidents that led to the resignation and suicide of the county's Tourist Development Council Director

The County Commission ordered the TDC Director to now report to the County Administrator instead of the TDC board alone.

Other moves include requiring the TDC Director to get permission before spending more than $25,000.

Former TDC Director Mark Bellinger didn't have to ask anyone before buying a 40-foot luxury yacht for $710,000. Bellinger had advertising agencies in Tallahassee and Mobile bill the county for the yacht and another $747,000 he used to buy his house.

The agencies administered the TDC budget and claim they didn't know the purchases hadn't been authorized. Tuesday the County Commission took that function away from the ad agencies, putting all future billing and spending under county control.

After Bellinger's spending spree was uncovered, he was forced to resign his job. He died in his car the next day of an apparent drug overdose.

The county Purchasing Department says it could take 10 months to sell the yacht, and the boat is now estimated to be worth about 500-thousand dollars, losing about a third of its value.