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Commission directs staff to pursue permanent administrative aide after majority support
Summary
After a budget follow-up briefing, a majority of commissioners signaled support for creating a permanent administrative aide in the executive office. Staff will draft a budget amendment and return in July; the pilot temp services will continue until a permanent hiring process is completed.
Following a staff briefing on outstanding items from the FY27 budget, commissioners signaled a majority preference to convert the existing pilot administrative support into a permanent position within the executive office.
City staff presented three options: continue the temporary pilot through a staffing agency (estimated annual cost about $80,000), create a permanent city position with full benefits, or phase out the pilot and revert to baseline executive-office services. Several commissioners said a permanent in-house position would offer greater consistency, institutional knowledge and lower long-term costs than continuing with temporary staffing.
Commissioner Purdue said the permanent role would free commissioners' time for priority work: "Instead of spending an hour on calendaring or printing, we could spend that hour preparing for a constituent meeting," she said. Commissioner Knight, Commissioner Belchek and others joined in support; a minority favored phasing out the pilot. City manager staff said they will prepare a budget amendment to fund a permanent position and return to the commission in July. The temporary vendor contract will continue while the city completes recruitment and onboarding.
What happens next: Staff will draft a budget amendment to establish a permanent administrative aide in the executive office and return to the commission for formal approval. Temporary staffing will continue through the hiring window to maintain continuity of services.
