Council questions Explore Evansville transfers, tables CVB package pending payroll details

Council members on March 4 pressed Explore Evansville leaders on a transfer request that moves roughly $120,000 from sports sales/service funds into payroll and new positions, including an assistant director of finance and administration role. Several council members said they were concerned that a recent salary adjustment for a senior director coupled with the proposed new assistant role appeared to increase personnel costs.

Explore Evansville representatives explained the change was largely an accounting consequence of an unusual payroll timing issue (an extra biweekly pay period that caused some line items to show an additional disbursement) and said the transfers reallocated budgeted payroll dollars rather than adding net new expense. A CVB representative said the sports park subsidy was being replaced by new sponsorship revenues, enabling reallocations to other operating needs.

Council members asked for clearer documentation: requested information included the qualifications and job responsibilities for the proposed assistant director, a breakdown showing how the extra pay period affected line items and confirmation that no one was receiving an unapproved pay increase. One council member moved to table the entire Convention & Visitors transfer package until the auditor and staff could provide more detail; the motion to table was approved.

Council approved other transfers on the agenda, but deferred the Explore Evansville/CVB transfer package pending a more detailed payroll report and job description.