Lapeer County administrator secures interim CFO contract amid board debate over hiring and pay

The Lapeer County Board of Commissioners voted to accept an engagement letter with Raymond Robson for interim chief financial officer services and approved a set of personnel reorganizations in the administration and human resources offices after extended discussion about cost and hiring process.

County Administrator Moses told the board the firm’s agreement runs March 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, with an automatic month-to-month renewal thereafter unless terminated, and that the county negotiated a blended rate that averages about $12,000 per month. Moses described the firm’s role as mentoring and advising the finance team while the county implements new systems and reduces head count in the department.

The measure and related personnel changes passed on a roll-call vote. Commissioners who spoke in favor said the arrangement is intended to bridge a staffing transition, implement software and internal controls, and produce savings once retirements and reorganizations take effect. Opponents said the county should have publicly posted the CFO vacancy and conducted a full search before contracting outside help.

Why it matters: County administration said the consultant will help stabilize finance operations as an existing finance officer retires and as the county completes software implementations and restructuring. Supporters argued the contract is temporary and is intended to produce long-term payroll savings. Critics said the cost and the automatic renewal clause require closer board oversight and that posting the job would be a better practice.

Board debate and key points - Cost and term: Moses said the firm’s negotiated blended rate works out to about $12,000 per month, representing roughly 60 hours of support per month and periodic on-site days. The written agreement covers March–December 2025 and then moves to month-to-month renewal. - Savings claim: Administration presented figures showing net departmental savings over time if retirements and reorganizations proceed as planned and if consultant hours are tapered; several commissioners requested more detailed line-item projections before a long-term commitment. - Hiring process concerns: At least one commissioner said they would not support the contract because the county did not publicly post and exhaust an internal and external recruitment process for the permanent CFO role before hiring an outside firm. Other commissioners said an in-house candidate review had been performed and that market realities made recruitment at current pay scales difficult. - Liability and scope: Commissioners asked how the consultant’s role differs from auditors’ work. Moses said the firm will mentor staff, improve internal processes and not be relied on to detect all errors or fraud, which is the subject of audits and day-to-day controls.

Related personnel actions - The board approved a package of HR and administration changes: creation of an HR director position (grade 22), elimination of the current HR manager position (grade 20), creation of an HR/payroll specialist role and an HR assistant role, and authorization for overlap/training with the retiring HR manager. Administration said the changes are intended to build a proactive HR office and to move payroll processing onto modern systems. - Commissioners discussed use of Paycom (payroll software) and the recurring cost of the software contract; administration said the system contract is in place and that process changes are expected to reduce labor and error risk over time.

No new permanent CFO hire was announced at the meeting. Moses said he would reassess the need for the consultant as the year progresses and would return to the board if a longer engagement or different terms were necessary.

Ending: The board adopted the contract and the personnel reorganizations, with at least one dissenting vote recorded. Administration said it will continue to report back to the board as the finance restructuring and software implementations proceed.