The Barry County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 14 approved an agreement with SVC Consulting LLC to provide temporary assistance to the treasurer’s office during a transition following a long‑time employee’s departure.

County Administrator Eric said the arrangement would help during a staffing transition after the office’s longtime treasurer left after about 40 years. “Sue was in place for 40 years and dropped a major hole in that,” Eric said, and noted the consultant would help train new staff on county systems and procedures.

Commissioner Getty moved the contract and Commissioner Campbell supported it. Commissioners voted by roll call and the motion was approved.

The agreement is effective Jan. 14, 2025, through April 30, 2025. According to discussion in the meeting, the work schedule is structured around an average of about 25 hours per week through the end of April, with potential short periods of roughly 30 hours per week and later reduced hours of about 10 per week. The administrator said the county also expects year‑end accounting support from the county’s outside accounting firm (Raymond), but that the consultant’s specific knowledge of county systems was the primary reason for hiring SVC.

Commissioner Jamieson and other commissioners stressed the need for documented procedures to ease future transitions. Jamieson said the consultant could advise on timing and reporting requirements tied to state filings so the office does not “learn the hard way.” Commissioners suggested the treasurer’s office maintain procedure notes and recommended incoming staff engage with the county treasurers association to build institutional knowledge.

Public comment included brief thank‑you remarks from Dan Patton, parks director, who also thanked the board for approving the county parks master plan earlier in the meeting and welcomed the treasurer office support.

The board recorded the contract approval by roll call; the transcript records the motion and unanimous approval but does not provide a consistent, complete per‑member vote list in a single place. The motion was recorded as approved (outcome: approved).

Looking ahead, commissioners asked that the transition work produce documentation to reduce risk in future turnovers and noted the county will continue to use external accounting support for year‑end work while the consultant focuses on system‑specific training and operational continuity.