Commissioners move forward with county controller recruitment, consultants outline scope and benchmarks

Commissioners heard from a recruitment consultant (identified on the record as Deb Wozak of BirdDog) about the search for a county controller and requested specific, statutory language for the job description. Consultants recommended adding bond language required by statute so candidates know whether they are bondable; county counselor Josh noted the county's insurance provider (KCAMP) can provide bonds as part of the package.

The briefing addressed the controller’s expected scope — payroll, accounts payable/receivable and financial reporting — and the need to clarify where the controller's authority and duties intersect with the clerk and other elected offices. Commissioners said Osage County employs roughly 140 people and that payroll totals run about "740,000 a month," figures candidates will want to understand. The consultants recommended recruiting from Kansas local government finance pools and national finance job boards; they also suggested benchmarks for success including (1) ability to start audits five months after close of books, (2) department‑head satisfaction at 18 months, and (3) regular quarterly financial reporting that allows proactive budgeting.

Commissioners debated whether the role should be broad‑scope (a CFO‑type administrator) or whether duties could remain distributed among existing departments; one commissioner said higher pay for department leads could be an alternative. The board authorized the consultant to proceed with search activities once the initial invoice is processed and asked staff to circulate references and the compiled survey results used in the analysis.