Okemos superintendent outlines finance leadership transition and temporary HR support
Loading...
Summary
Superintendent Hood announced the retirement of Executive Director of Finance Liz Lentz (effective in August) and proposed replacing the role with a director of finance to allow mentoring overlap; the board also heard a request to hire temporary HR support (Dec. 15' June 30) at an estimated $38,000' $40,000.
Superintendent John Hood told trustees the district's long-serving Executive Director of Finance, Liz Lentz, plans to retire in August, and he proposed replacing that role with a director of finance to allow overlap and mentoring during a period that will include the budget season and bond work.
"To say that that will be a huge loss for the district is an understatement," Hood said when describing Lentz's nine years of district finance and bond knowledge. Hood said the plan is to post the director of finance vacancy within the next week, to conduct interviews in January'February, and to bring a recommended candidate to the board in early March so the new hire can overlap in the spring/budget season.
Trustees pressed Hood on tradeoffs in timing and contingency plans if the position cannot be filled quickly. Hood said the administration has built in about four to five months of overlap where possible, and would not accept a candidate judged insufficient for the role.
Separately, Director of HR (transcribed as Emmendorfer) requested temporary office support for HR from Dec. 15 through June 30 to address a backlog caused by a resignation and an employee on extended FMLA; the administrator estimated the cost at about $38,000' $40,000 and said savings from the vacant position could offset much of the expense. The temporary hire would index personnel records, audit HR systems for compliance, and help with HRIS migration.
When Trustee Doxie asked for a range of vacancy savings to confirm funding for the temporary HR hire, Hood said staff would provide the exact figure and follow up with the board.
The board discussed the difference between an "executive director of finance" and a "director of finance," with Hood explaining that Lentz has held a role encompassing historical bond knowledge and work that the administration expects to redistribute while hiring a director-level finance leader.
Next steps: the administration will post the finance vacancy, provide trustees with vacancy-savings figures to explain funding for temporary HR support, and return with hiring recommendations in early spring.
