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Council approves new deputy director of accounting amid debate over timing and funding source
Summary
The Budget Committee approved funding for a Deputy Director of Accounting position after members debated whether to fund the role now or wait. The council accepted the Finance, Economic Development and Planning (FDEP) link recommendation to add the position and agreed to pay for it from the FY26 starting fund balance.
Council members voted on May 27 to add a Deputy Director of Accounting position in the accounting division and to fund it from the FY26 starting fund balance after discussion about timing, staffing and audit needs.
Council member Lynch, the FDEP link chair, presented the proposal and described the job as a position that would provide daily management support for financial reporting, accounts payable and payroll oversight, and lead coordination of year‑end audits. Lynch said the link recommended the role at an annual cost of $145,424 and urged the committee to approve it so the new hire could participate in audits before long‑time staff retire.
"This person will assist in the implementation of the fiscal management program of LFUCG, including maintenance and analysis of all general ledger accounts and coordination of a year end audit," Lynch said during the link report. (Transcript: link presentation.)
Commissioner and CAO staff acknowledged the role’s importance but said the administration had not funded it in the mayor’s proposed budget because of competing priorities and constraints on recurring revenue. CAO remarks in the meeting said the administration had “considered” the position but, given budget limits, chose to defer it a year; council members pressed the administration on whether there were internal candidates and agreed that the role is specialized.
After extended discussion — during which council members asked about internal cross‑training and the risk of multiple near‑term retirements in accounting — the council voted to approve the link recommendation to add the deputy director position and authorize funding from the FY26 starting fund balance.
Action taken: a motion to approve the FDEP link recommendations, including the addition of the Deputy Director of Accounting at a cost of $145,424, was moved, seconded and approved by the committee. The recorder’s transcript shows the motion carried; council and administration acknowledged the approval reduces the projected FY26 beginning fund balance.
Why it matters: council members framed the hire as risk mitigation for a specialized, long‑tenured role in the accounting division. The position creates recurring personnel expense funded from the FY26 fund balance rather than recurring revenue; council and administration signaled they will track fund balance implications as FY26 begins.
