By Ryan Clark
NKyTribune reporter
In November, the Chicago-based Baker Tilly firm made 55 recommendations to improve the city’s finance department.
Now, the process has officially begun to implement those ideas.
Tuesday night, as the commission met for their regular weekly caucus meeting, they heard a proposal by Finance Director Steve Webb to — in accordance with the Baker Tilly recommendation — approve the job description for the new position of Budget Director.
“The recent assessment of the finance operations by Baker Tilly recommends the city add a position focused on budget development and monitoring and that this position be responsible for coordinating the city’s budget development and budget monitoring processes,” Webb said. “With the support of the HR department, a job description has been drafted and was provided to the Commission for review with the request.”
The Budget Director, who will have a salary between $90,000-$100,000 and a probationary period of a year, will assist the Finance Director “in the management and operation of the city’s budget,” city documents say. “This is a highly responsible, professional position assisting the Finance Director in the development, implementation, monitoring and administration of the city’s strategic plan and annual budget.”
While there will be no direct reports initially, the position will be required to:
• Lead the development, implementation, monitoring and ongoing maintenance of the city’s annual budget and strategic business plan.
• Forecast revenues and expenditures for specific periods of time; and consolidates information for the Finance Director.
• Meet with departments to review work plan goals and objectives.
• Evaluate departmental programmatic performance, supplemental budget requests and/or transfers for need, and interprets Finance Office policies, practices and procedures as required, making appropriate recommendations for administrative review.
• Prepare ad-hoc analyses for senior management.
• Assist with the City Manager’s budget presentation to the Board of Commissioners.
• Assist in the preparation of mandated advertisements and documentation required for public hearings and the adoption of the final budget by the Board of Commissioners.
• Train all levels of staff in budget principles and techniques.
• May be required to attend Council meetings, community meetings and public hearings.
• May be required to attend city staff meetings.
• Makes oral presentations when required.
“Adding this position will provide more support from finance to our fellow departments and city leadership with respect to budget development monitoring and analysis, so the Finance Department can provide accurate, complete and timely financial information to our policymakers,” Webb said. “Having this dedicated position will also be critical in the timing of the rest of the implementation of the action plan from Baker Tilly, as the dedicated budget resource would allow the remaining finance staff the capacity to move forward more quickly with the other process and policy recommendations.”
The review of the city’s Finance Department included recommendations for major upgrades on everything from creating standard operating procedures for employees, to providing more training on in-house software.
Representatives from Baker Tilly also said employees in the department “really want to do a good job” and are passionate and work long hours. But, as Mayor Joseph U. Meyer noted, there have been two separate incidents of major thefts in the department in the past 10 years. Everyone agreed changes need to be made — the addition of the Budget Director position is the first of those.
“We’re looking to make this position a director position specifically so that way we can ensure that the salary meets the skill set needs of the individual that we’re trying to hire,” Webb said.
Mayor Meyer wondered about a schedule to implement the rest of the recommendations, and staff responded that they have made significant progress — even so much that it may be available for the next caucus meeting in two weeks.
The proposal was placed on the consent agenda at next week’s legislative meeting.
Organizational Meeting
Prior to the Commission’s caucus Tuesday night, they had to first conduct some organizational business in another meeting, which featured:
• The acceptance of Commissioner Ron Washington as Mayor Pro Tem (or Vice Mayor).
• And the acknowledging of oath affidavits for the newly elected board members.
Retirement
Commissioners heard the proposed retirement of:
• Dennis New, Light Equipment Operator
The proposal was placed on next week’s consent agenda.
Resignations
Commissioners heard the proposed resignation of:
• Michael Martinez
The proposal was placed on next week’s consent agenda.
New Hires
Commissioners heard the proposed hirings of:
• Tatum Abercrombie, Police Officer
• Garrick Wells, Police Cadet
The proposals were placed on next week’s consent agenda.
Mayor thanks Public Works, FD
When the announcement came that President Joe Biden would be visiting the area Wednesday, it meant the Public Works Department, as well as the Fire Department, had to work on their holiday to ready the area for the important arrival.
“These fellows were called in on their holiday and spent the whole day, but they took a site that had questionable appeal and turned it into something that we’ll be proud of,” Mayor Meyer said. “I’m really looking forward to the events of Wednesday and I think it will show very well for the city of Covington.”
First for Nicaise
Tuesday was the first meeting for newly elected Commissioner Nolan Nicaise.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Covington Commission meeting will be a legilsative meeting held at 6 p.m., Jan. 10, at the City Building at 20 W. Pike St. in Covington. The meetings can be followed live on Fioptics channel 815, Spectrum channel 203, the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) website, the TBNK Facebook page @TBNKonline, and the TBNK Roku channels.