Search committee approves revisions to city auditor job description after resignation announced

The Special Search Committee for the City of Otter on Nov. 24 reviewed and approved edits to the city auditor job description after learning the auditor will leave on Dec. 8, 2025. The committee appointed a co-chaired search team and directed staff to post the revised position while the panel vets candidates and considers interim coverage.

The committee’s presiding member read a letter from Council President Tyros notifying members that "the city auditor has resigned with the last day of 12/08/2025," and announced a special search committee co-chaired by Councilor Durnell Owitz and Councilor Heath with members Councilors Kacinskas, Mack and Eglin. Committee members discussed wording across the job description, aiming to clarify the auditor’s duties and lines of supervision.

Members debated candidate-facing language for the position’s purpose, agreeing to replace colloquial phrasing such as "watchdog" with more precise terms like "financial oversight, safeguards and reporting" and to state clearly that the auditor reports to the city council (with the council president identified as the primary supervisory contact) rather than to the mayor.

On the position’s relationship to the city budget, the panel agreed the auditor should "provide objective financial data and analysis to the mayor on various budget issues as needed" and should assist with annual budget preparation by supplying information, rather than preparing the mayor’s proposed budget itself. Committee members also moved language about the auditor’s "ability to detect errors that could result in excessive costs" into the job’s essential functions.

Committee members removed or reworded personnel-related phrasing they found imprecise — deleting "rewarding and disciplining employees" in favor of references to providing performance reviews and directing work, and refined technical skill requirements to reference the Microsoft Office suite and familiarity with Munis while removing expectations that the auditor perform complex Munis diagnostics that belong to IT.

A motion by Councilor Vincent, seconded by Councilor Heath, to approve the committee’s updates to the job description carried on a voice vote when the chair called for the ayes. After the vote, a city HR staffer said the revised description "can be posted" and described the recruitment plan: posting on Indeed, on the MMA site, and on a specialized auditors’ site. The staffer said the committee contacted a consulting firm that previously served as interim auditor; the consultant indicated they could provide coverage "a day or two" per week, on-site or virtually, and would provide contract rates for the committee to review.

Committee members discussed candidate screening and confidentiality procedures. HR offered to prescreen and suggested using numbered applicant packets (rather than names) for committee review. Members endorsed adding knockout or qualifying questions on the posting (examples discussed included CPA credential and municipal accounting experience) to speed initial review. The committee agreed to reconvene to review candidate materials and to follow open-meeting rules when doing so.

The committee also discussed next steps including how HR will circulate applicant materials, whether the committee will receive all applications, and logistical planning for interviews. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded near the end of the session; the public transcript ends shortly afterward.

The next procedural steps are: HR to post the opening with the revised description; HR to submit contract rates if interim consultant work is proposed; the search committee to review applications (using numbering/confidentiality safeguards) and reconvene to select interviewees for public meeting consideration.