Fairview city manager says finance staff gap hampers short‑term budgeting; committee requests primer

The City Manager told EDAC that the finance director position has been vacant for about six months and that the city needs to stabilize finance staffing and systems before finalizing budgets for near‑term projects.

The City Manager described an internal assessment, saying the organization was not yet operating at full capacity (he used the metaphor that if the city were an “8‑cylinder,” it was running on about five). He said staff are restructuring and seeking a finance director; the city had held at least one interview and planned to continue recruitment. The manager acknowledged staff have an older budget document on the shelf but not a clear current cash balance available to share at the meeting.

Committee members asked for a brief budget‑process presentation. EDAC members and staff said a primer delivered to advisory committees and the public would clarify how capital projects—such as roundabouts, Hudson/Halsey corridor work, and tenant improvement grants—are prioritized and funded, including potential county, Metro and Urban Renewal sources. EDAC recalled that Eric Miller had given a similar primer to the Parks & Recreation committee and recommended scheduling a comparable session for EDAC and the public.

Ending — Staff said they will work to schedule a budget primer for advisory committees once finance staffing and current financials are available and will provide more detailed fiscal information as the recruitment progresses.