The Sumner County Financial Management Committee voted against hiring an outside search firm on Dec. 3 after commissioners debated the trade-offs between speed, local knowledge and hiring costs.

Speaker 3 moved to engage an external recruiting firm to widen the candidate pool for the county finance director; Speaker 1 seconded the motion. Committee members discussed estimated costs (committee members referenced a range of about $24,000 to $30,000), a likely March or April hire timetable if the firm were engaged, and the risk that a local candidate might be lost if the search were delayed.

Several members emphasized the candidate's strengths: experience in auditing, familiarity with the comptroller's office and Munis software, and relevant audit and implementation experience. Others stressed limited hands-on budget-development experience and recommended contacting the candidate's references before deciding.

On a voice vote the motion to solicit an external search failed; the chair announced "No's have it." One commissioner abstained. The committee directed follow-up vetting by contacting references and reaching out to the comptroller's office for further input, and said the group would revisit the matter next month if needed.