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Newport council debates splitting finance-and-office administrator role after weak applicant pool
Summary
Council members said few qualified candidates applied for the newly created financial and office administrator role and discussed alternatives including re-advertising, splitting the job into two part-time posts (administrative assistant + finance specialist), or hiring a city manager first; several members favored splitting the role to attract candidates and provide quicker staff relief.
Councilors and community members spent substantial time on a stalled recruitment for a new "financial and office administrator" position created to address heavy administrative workload now borne by staff.
Lede: The council reported low applicant interest in the combined finance-and-office job and debated three options: re-advertise with outreach to more targeted job boards, divide the position into two part-time roles (an on-site administrative assistant and a remote-capable finance specialist), or delay and hire a city manager who would then sort staffing priorities.
Nut graf: Several council members and task-force participants said the job description was large and might deter applicants; others warned that splitting into part-time roles could create future transition challenges if the city later decides to consolidate into a full-time finance officer. Several members proposed practical short-term fixes: advertise on statewide municipal job boards, target retired public accountants for part-time finance work, or hire temporary staffing firms to place an interim person while the council refines job design.
Details: Members referenced past local staffing arrangements and expressed concern that hiring a higher-paid finance specialist now could force later salary-scale adjustments across departments. Laurie Grimm argued the job was large and suggested a split so one person would be in the office daily to handle phones and public requests while a finance specialist could work remotely and focus on ledgers and reporting. Others suggested recruiting retired state employees or using a staffing service (name mentioned as an example) to create a candidate pool.
Quote: "Holy cow, that is a big job description," Laurie Grimm said when reviewing the posted role, urging the council to consider splitting the work. The chair said he preferred addressing major financial questions before hiring a city manager to avoid hiring a turnaround specialist; several members said staff were overwhelmed and needed relief faster than a manager search would produce.
Next steps: The chair asked department heads and two council members to rework the posting and examine two-part options; staff will consider wider advertising, targeted outreach to municipal job boards and the possibility of a temporary hire to provide immediate relief. The council did not take a formal vote on the job structure at the meeting.
