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Council tables ordinance after questions about consulting firm invoice and scope
Summary
Councilors tabled Ordinance 2025-72 after extended discussion about invoices and scope from consulting firm Clemans-Nelson; fiscal officer reported recent invoices and council asked for contracts and invoices before taking action.
At the Nov. 10 Buckeye Lake Village Council meeting, councilors voted 7-0 to table Ordinance 2025-72, which would have amended the permanent appropriations ordinance and declared an emergency, after questions about billing and scope related to Clemans-Nelson's wage and compensation study.
Councilor Deb Julian pressed for clarity on what the village had authorized and what it had been billed. She said council had approved $15,500 for a wage and compensation study and that she would vote against further spending "until we have an exact dollar amount and know what we are getting." Fiscal Officer Amanda Hoppel told the council the invoice received the previous Friday was for $10,384.25 and that the village had paid $11,361.00 to date; she said Clemans-Nelson described $4,671.25 as an organizational analysis separate from the wage study.
Mayor Linda Goodman and Councilor Sue Wadley said they expected a completed product from the consultant; Councilor Wadley noted that some additional HR consulting had been discussed as a retained add-on. Councilor Julian asked for the invoice and contract language and questioned whether an amendment to the contract had been approved; the mayor and fiscal officer said they had asked the consultant for clarification.
Because the scope and total cost were not fully reconciled in the meeting, the council tabled the ordinance and asked that it be added to the next meeting agenda under Unfinished Business for review of the invoices, contract and deliverables.
What the numbers show (as reported verbally in the meeting): - Original amount discussed/approved for the wage and compensation study: $15,500 (per council discussion). - Amount the village has paid to date to Clemans-Nelson: $11,361.00 (reported by Fiscal Officer Amanda Hoppel). - Invoice received Nov. 7 (reported): $10,384.25 (reported by Fiscal Officer Amanda Hoppel). - Additional charge described by the consultant as an organizational analysis: $4,671.25 (reported by Fiscal Officer Amanda Hoppel).
The council did not approve any additional appropriation for these consultant charges at the Nov. 10 meeting; it tabled the item pending documentation. The clerk will add the ordinance back to the Nov. 24 agenda for further action.
Quote: Councilor Deb Julian: "I will say no until we have an exact dollar amount and know what we are getting."
