Sumter chosen to lead Sumner County finance director search

Sumner Countys Financial Management Committee voted Thursday to hire a local consulting firm, identified in committee materials as Sumter, to run the countys search for a new finance director.

Committee members said Sumters local Tennessee network and a two-year guarantee on placement tipped the panel in its favor over a larger, more-tenured national firm. The motion to select Sumter was made by the mayor and carried after a second and a voice vote with no recorded roll-call tally.

Committee chair and other members said the finalists were closely matched on price and capability. "One of the consultants is local that will be working on this," the mayor said during the discussion, noting the consultant had worked with the city of Brentwood and could tap a Tennessee network. The mayor added he liked Sumters two-year option to redo a search if a candidate did not work out.

Members who opposed or asked questions raised only procedural issues about cost comparisons and the relative tenure of the competing firms. Committee members agreed the mayor and designated staff would continue the recruitment with the selected firm and that the finance committee would receive updates as the search progresses.

The vote formally authorizes county leadership to negotiate with and engage Sumter as the recruitment consultant. Details of the contract, fees, and the formal engagement timeline were not provided in the meeting discussion and were described as to be handled by the mayor and staff.

The committee also noted the hiring decision was intended to expedite the recruitment so the department would have continuity when the current finance director departs. Committee members encouraged the selected firm to move quickly and said the mayor and the interim staff would coordinate the next steps.

The committee did not provide a written contract in the meeting packet; staff said final terms and any required approvals would be brought back to the commission as needed.