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COG executive director reports audit delay, hires finance manager; public works leaders push for equipment maintenance plan
Summary
Executive Director Rob told the council the FY24 financial audit was delayed due to staffing illness; he announced a new finance manager hire (Ann Marie Ryan) starting April 7 and summarized a road supervisors meeting that raised concerns about shared equipment undersizing, salt bidding and interest in roadway-assessment software (Violytics).
Rob (Executive Director) told the Northwest Hills County Council of Governments that the fiscal year 2024 financial audit has been delayed because the auditor—s office experienced widespread illness and that extra staff have been assigned to complete the audit; he expects the report by the end of the month.
Rob announced the hire of Ann Marie Ryan as the new Grama (grant?) Financial Manager, starting April 7. Rob said Ryan has prior municipal budgeting experience in Deep River, holds a CPA and will work 30 hours per week. Members discussed the need for stronger centralized accounting and internal controls to reduce grant misallocation risks.
Public works discussion: Rob summarized a recent road supervisors meeting hosted in the same room. Topics included:
- Violytics roadway-assessment software: Rob described a vendor that captures roadway images with phones and produces condition analyses to help capital planning. - OSHA outreach and training: Rob noted OSHA offers voluntary audits without fines if requested; unannounced inspections can trigger penalties. He suggested the COG might facilitate regionwide training. - Salt bid timing and delivery issues: Rob said the COG will run an earlier multi-year salt bid with multiple vendors and tighten contract language to prevent vendors from claiming partial deliveries as fulfilled when multiple trucks are used. - Shared equipment maintenance and right-sizing: Several council members said shared equipment has been undersized or poorly maintained; members asked the new public-works capital committee to produce a reinvestment and replacement plan and mandatory training and recordkeeping for shared assets.
Council direction: Rob said the COG created a subcommittee to develop a capital reinvestment plan and agreed to discuss possible software procurement with the transportation director to determine fundable options under transportation budgets.
What was not decided: No formal procurement or budget approvals were taken in this portion of the meeting; Rob requested members bring public works leaders to future discussions about equipment priorities and maintenance standards.
