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Board approves temporary stipends after comptroller vacancy; some aldermen voice concern
Summary
With a vacant comptroller post, the board approved monthly $400 stipends for four employees covering additional duties; members debated precedent, total cost and urgency while staff said hiring is underway.
Facing a vacant comptroller position and no deputy clerk, city staff told the board four part-time employees are performing additional financial duties and were recommended to receive a $400 monthly stipend. The board voted to approve the stipends for those employees on a temporary basis and to review them at fiscal-year end.
City clerk (speaker 5) explained the city is short staffed and the stipends are intended to cover extra responsibilities such as daily reconciliations and bank deposits until a permanent comptroller is hired. "We do not have a comptroller here to do day to day activities... We're all short staffed, I don't have a deputy at this time, so everything falls on me," the clerk said, asking for temporary relief for staff who are covering essential work.
Several aldermen expressed unease about setting precedent and asked for clearer documentation of duties and costs. One board member said the stipend language in packet caused "heartburn" and requested explicit descriptions of the additional duties tied to the stipend. City staff said the positions are budgeted and that the stipends do not include benefits; the board recorded the motion and approved the payments.
