Buckner council moves to hire part‑time finance officer at $125 an hour, cap set at 25 hours

The Buckner council voted to proceed with a contract to engage a part‑time finance officer, referred to in the meeting materials as Margie, under terms discussed at the February session. Council members said the contractor will be paid $125 per hour with a cap of up to 25 hours per month and that any additional hours would require council approval.

Council members framed the move as a cost‑saving measure and a continuity step. One member said the town’s prior contract arrangement cost about $67,200 in the previous year; the new arrangement was described in meeting discussion as reducing the town’s annual finance spend to roughly $44,000, a projected savings of about $22,500. Speakers emphasized the need for a written agreement that specifies hourly caps and limits and discussed whether to require liability or errors‑and‑omissions protections.

Supporters told the council the contractor’s role would be to review and verify financial numbers and provide the town with routine accounting services previously handled by a larger firm. A motion to proceed with the change was made and seconded; the council confirmed the terms during the exchange. Members also clarified that if the contractor needed to work beyond the 25‑hour monthly cap, she would return to the council for approval.

Council members said they intend to draft a straightforward service agreement that sets the hourly rate at $125, a monthly cap of 25 hours and any expectations about insurance or maximum annual exposure. The agreement was described in discussion as mirroring prior arrangements but scaled to the smaller hourly cap. The council did not adopt additional compensation or benefits for the contractor at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will prepare a written contract reflecting the $125/hour rate and a 25‑hour monthly cap and return it to the council for the record; any request to exceed the monthly cap will come back to the board.