Select Board Approves Finance Changes: Electronic Payments, Second Signer, and Reconciliation Plan

The Brentwood Select Board on Sept. 2 endorsed several finance operations changes, including a move to pay more vendors electronically, appointing Finance Director Julie Stevens as a second account signer, and continuing a contracted CPA—s reconciliation work to close the 2024 books. Nut graf: Town finance staff said electronic vendor payments would reduce fraud risk and save check and postage costs; the board approved Julie Stevens as an additional signer to ensure continuity. A contracted CPA, retained at $125 per hour, is finishing reconciliations through December 2024 and is expected to complete remaining work in the next weeks. Julie Stevens, the town finance director, told the board that she and Ambrose are attending a municipal financial policy program and that she recommends moving several vendor payments from check to electronic transfers for efficiency and security. She said that Greg, a CPA retained at $125 per hour, has reconciled cash accounts through December 2024, is working on impact fees and revolving accounts, and expects to finish the allotted 40 hours of work soon. On a motion and second, the board approved adding Julie Stevens as an additional signer on town accounts to avoid a single-signer risk. Ambrose Keys described current segregation-of-duties concerns and said the town should plan for a deputy treasurer or second signer to maintain operations when the sole signer is unavailable. The board also instructed staff to continue the reconciliation plan: let the CPA complete the assigned 40 hours and then have Stevens continue clean-up and transition to budget work for 2025. Ending: The finance director will implement electronic vendor payments, be added as a signer, and coordinate with the CPA to complete 2024 reconciliations; staff will report status to the board at the next meeting.