Council delays acting finance director appointment after extended debate over consultants and pay

Council discussion over a temporary appointment in the finance department dominated the latter part of the meeting and ended with council consensus to continue detailed review in closed session and at a special January meeting.

City staff proposed designating the senior revenue manager as acting finance director with a 20% acting stipend while the city recruits a permanent finance director. Staff said the increase is temporary and personnel policy provides for a 20% acting stipend for an interim assignment. The city manager said recruitment assistance is underway and a permanent hire is expected within 30'60 days.

Several councilmembers raised budgetary and transparency concerns. One councilmember cited roughly $266,000 in consultant spending this year (various consultants and temporary staffing referenced by council), questioned whether the city could afford both the acting stipend and continued consultant support, and asked for the precise stipend amount to be returned with a full financial accounting. Another councilmember asked that the matter be discussed in closed session under personnel rules.

The senior revenue manager told the council she was not seeking the permanent finance director job but that the acting assignment was proposed to cover workload; she described her municipal experience and said she had worked with federal and municipal agencies.

Following extended public and council debate, members agreed to table the matter for consideration in a closed session at a special meeting in January; the city manager said staff would bring back stipend numbers and a staffing plan.