Council pauses proposed interim HR contract after cost concerns; schedules further discussion

The borough manager presented a proposed contract with Keystone Partners to provide interim human-resources support for onboarding, recruiting, workers' compensation management and day-to-day HR operations. The scope described up to 15–20 hours per week with an hourly rate of $165 and an intended start date of May 27.

Council members questioned procedure and cost. A presenter summarized that a low-end engagement (short duration) would cost roughly $15,000 and a high-end engagement could be about $52,000. "Low end would be 15 to $20,000. High end could be double that," the presenter said. Council members noted the proposal had not gone through the Administration, Communications and Technology (ACT) committee as the council's internal process usually requires and asked for either immediate discussion the next evening or referral back to committee.

Concerns included the contract's classification as consultant work rather than salary, the finance director's direction on budget coding, and uncertainty about how long the consultant would be needed. One council member requested a side-by-side comparison of a fully loaded salary for an HR director versus the estimated consultant cost so the council could compare total cost and benefits implications.

Council did not approve the contract on May 21. Members agreed to discuss it at the next meeting (scheduled the following day) rather than approve it that night; some members preferred tabling it to committee for fuller review.

The council asked staff to post the contract documents online and to provide a clearer cost forecast and a comparison to a full-time equivalent compensation package before any final approval.