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Council ratifies interim budget consultant as finance leadership transitions
Summary
University City council voted to ratify the city manager’s signing of an interim services agreement with MGT to bring in a retired city manager-controller to assist with the budget after the finance director’s resignation; the consultant will work roughly 20 hours per week and the ratified authorization includes up to $100,000 though the city manager said she does not expect to exhaust that total.
University City’s City Council voted on Feb. 9 to ratify the city manager’s decision to engage an interim budget consultant after the finance director resigned just before the start of budget season.
City Manager Miss Sharp told council she had a master services agreement on file with MGT and that the firm identified a retired city manager who has also served as a controller and treasurer in larger jurisdictions. Sharp said the consultant will work approximately 20 hours per week and that she “does not anticipate needing the full $100,000 that I put on there” but requested enough funding to cover roughly three months of assistance so the consultant could begin immediately.
Sharp said the finance staff were not 100% equipped to prepare the budget alone after the staff departures and that the consultant’s early start was needed so materials and access could be obtained in time for the budget calendar. Council member Clay moved to ratify the action; the motion was seconded by Council member McMahon and approved by voice vote.
The ratification allows the consultant to begin work right away. Sharp framed the authorization as an estimate; the city did not specify a guaranteed contract total beyond the budget line item. The council did not attach additional conditions in the public discussion recorded at the meeting.
Next steps: Sharp will work with the consultant through the budget development process and report back to council under the established budget calendar.
