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Lebanon committee splits over hiring a director of finance as residents push for more frontline public-works staff
Summary
Council debated creating a director of finance and accounting position and an economic-development director vs. hiring a city accountant and adding public-works hires; members cited a $315,000 general-fund gap, the need to leverage TIF funds for economic-development duties, and immediate concerns about water/sewer staffing.
The committee spent significant time May 18 weighing whether to advertise a combined director of finance and accounting post with broader duties and higher pay or to prioritize hiring additional street and water/sewer crew members to address operational gaps.
Paul, the city clerk, said the city faces roughly a $315,000 general-fund shortfall and cautioned that adding high-salary positions now could worsen short-term budget strain. "We were to find $315,000...we're going to be about 100,000 short excluding hiring a city accountant," he said, urging caution on immediate hires.
Other council members argued a qualified director could centralize grants, finance and economic-development duties, potentially unlocking TIF funds to supplement salary costs. A staff member explained that adding the job title "director of economic development" would allow part of the position's salary to be drawn from the TIF district, reducing the direct burden on the general fund.
Speakers on the floor also emphasized operational risk: public-works leaders reported only two or three staff on duty during storms, creating vulnerability for storm-response and sewer-related emergencies. Several members argued for a phased approach: recruit a finance professional who can expand revenues and grants, while simultaneously seeking to restore public-works staffing levels when funds permit.
Action and next steps: the committee recommended moving forward with advertising a director of finance and accounting and discussing a director-level economic-development title that could be partially funded via TIF. The committee also asked staff to prioritize hiring temporary or third-party operators for water/sewer if key operators leave, to avoid EPA compliance risk.
Provenance: debate and motions on personnel and job descriptions began during the personnel section and included multiple council-member exchanges about pay, duties and timing.
