During a recent government meeting, city officials engaged in a detailed discussion regarding the finance department's budget and staffing needs. The meeting highlighted the challenges the city faces in filling critical accounting positions, which have been exacerbated by the impending expiration of contracts with external auditors.

Finance Director Naima Gant addressed questions about the budget, clarifying that the city has allocated $150,000 for auditing services, separate from other professional services. The discussion revealed that the city is currently relying on external consultants to manage audits due to a lack of in-house expertise. Gant emphasized the importance of training and hiring new staff to ensure continuity in financial operations once the consultants' contracts end in fiscal year 2024.

The proposed staffing plan for fiscal year 2025 includes ten new positions, including a finance director, executive secretary, accounts payable clerk, and several accountants. Gant noted that the city is actively seeking to fill these roles, with an emphasis on increasing salary ranges and offering signing bonuses to attract qualified candidates. Despite these efforts, officials expressed concern over the slow progress in hiring, with some positions remaining unfilled for an extended period.

Commissioner Kelly raised concerns about the hiring process, suggesting that directors should be more involved to ensure that the city can attract the necessary talent. The finance team has already implemented changes to their recruitment strategy, including advertising on specialized job boards and adjusting salary offers, but officials acknowledged that more aggressive measures may be needed to fill the vacancies.

Additionally, the meeting addressed budgetary items such as payroll services and credit card fees, with Gant clarifying that the $58,000 listed for travel was a misalignment and should be attributed to payroll services instead. The credit card fees discussed pertain to merchant services costs incurred when residents use credit cards for city services, such as building permits and park rentals.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city's commitment to strengthening its finance department while navigating the complexities of staffing and budget management. The officials remain focused on ensuring that the department is adequately equipped to handle both current and future financial responsibilities.