The Village of Ashwaubenon Finance and Personnel Committee on May 30 approved two staffing actions: a reclassification of an existing accountant position to assistant finance director and authorization to recruit a paralegal confidential executive assistant to fill a longstanding vacancy.

Assistant finance director: Staff said the change recognizes added responsibilities the incumbent already performs — including increased budget management duties, oversight of the village’s first formal five‑year capital improvement plan (CIP) process, and direct oversight of tax collection for the first installment collected locally. The village recommended a reclassification from the current grade to a grade 11 position; staff said the change would raise the position’s pay by roughly $5,000 at the low end and about $6,000 at the top of the scale, and proposed a July 1, 2025 effective date. "This is a way to keep someone internally building a structure where if I go, there's someone to easily step into place," a staff member said when discussing succession planning.

Paralegal confidential executive assistant recruitment: The committee also approved creating and advertising a paralegal confidential executive assistant position to replace a management analyst post that has been vacant since early 2025. Staff and the village attorney said the new description places greater emphasis on paralegal skills and confidential executive support, which they hope will broaden the candidate pool to include professionally trained paralegals as well as administrative candidates. The position will handle recording‑secretary duties for assigned boards and committees (excluding statutory clerk responsibilities retained by the village clerk) and will not include routine election work, which remains with the clerk’s office.

Why it matters: The assistant finance director reclassification formalizes higher‑level responsibilities already being performed and supports succession planning for the finance department. The paralegal confidential executive assistant recruitment is intended to fill needed administrative and legal support functions while recognizing the clerk’s office will retain election responsibilities.

Action taken: Motions to (1) approve the creation/classification of the assistant finance director position and (2) approve the paralegal confidential executive assistant position description and commence recruitment carried on voice votes.

Next steps: If approved, the assistant finance director reclassification would take effect July 1, 2025. Recruitment for the paralegal confidential executive assistant was slated to begin in June or July 2025 with interviews in July and an anticipated start in July or August 2025.