Does Centerville Need A Full-Time Finance Director?
By Deb Barnes
The Centerville City Council is actively engaged in a search to replace former city finance director John Meyer, who retired last January for health reasons. But some Centerville citizens question whether the city really needs a full-time finance director.
Since Meyer’s departure, the city has relied on intermittent assistance from Abdo, Eick & Meyers, the city’s auditors, to keep its financial wheels turning.
Centerville is counting on cost savings realized by Meyer’s departure to help whittle its budget in 2009; even after accounting for the costs of temporary help until a new finance director is hired, it appears the city will be $22,000 ahead. But although the city may have been paying for a full-time finance director, Centerville resident Stephanie Blomseth wonders if it had one.
Records show that while Meyer was employed by the city of Centerville he actively pursued other work, both as a consultant to Minnesota municipalities and as a part-time employee of an engineering consulting firm in North Dakota.
Lightowler Johnson Associates in Fargo, N.D. lists Meyer as an employee on the company’s Web site. Meyer has worked up to 35 hours per week as Project Developer/ Finance Advisor for the architectural/engineering firm since July 1, 2005, sources say.
“I’m not aware of anything [concerning Meyer’s job performance] that would raise any huge red flags,” Larson told The Citizen. “If he was resourceful enough to generate a few dollars on the side in a consulting business, that’s fine, as long as it didn’t affect his job here.”
Several council members, including Tom Lee and Mayor Mary Capra, say they were aware that Meyer had a consulting business, a fact that Lee says was disclosed at the time of Meyer’s interview in 2004. But how much outside consulting he did, or whether Meyer arrived at City Hall “refreshed and ready for work” as the Personnel Policy requires, has apparently never been discussed.
Meyer did not return a phone call in time for this story.
To be fair, the above is only part of a much lengthier, detailed story. Of course, we chose to shorten it up for the blog. To read the entire article
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11 comments:
THIS IS NOT LEADERSHIP!!!
Why not allow Abdo, Eick and Meyers to eternally keep our financial wheels turning? At a $22,000 quarterly savings this would add up to a tidy little sum.
What in the heck are these people thinking? They all sound like incompetent fools!
“If there are some serious situations, we’re being handicapped by them not releasing their report,” Broussard Vickers said.
The city handicapped itself by not asking questions.
It's doubtful that anyone at City Hall would notice a "huge red flag" until it wrapped itself around the building!
Don't blame your irresponsibility on the pending State audit release. The City should be policing itself and not relying on some State audit to do it's job! If there is a "serious situation" the City officials should take care of it. In fact, the City should be investigating this now instead of making excuses.
Disgusting!
“I’m moonlighting as a council member,” Fehrenbacher said.
Hardly comparable but extremely idiotic!
To think I voted for this...
Bravo Anonymous @7:06!
Couldn't have said it any better myself! Some of these council members have gotten far too comfortable and forgot what public service is all about.
“I’m moonlighting as a council member,” Fehrenbacher said.
Ummmmmm..............do you make $80,000 a year as a council member?
I believe it is being called a public servant which is what you volunteered for. You are comparing apples to oranges Ben.
Doesn't make sense and makes you sound stupid
This just show how incompetent the Mayor and council have been and continue to show their stupidity.
I expected more from you, Ben.
Well, well, well it looks like we are not in need of a full-time finance director. I think that the phone records of the City Hall should be checked. I bet you will find a lot of phone calls made by John Meyer during business hours for his business while working for our City unless he used a cell phone. Nevertheless, there should be an investigation done on this and request his cell phone records if it did not show on the City's telephone records. Did he use the City's copier and supplies for his business? Did the City pay for postage if he mailed anything out for his business? Did any of the City Clerks do work for him for his business? Would he owe the City money from his wages since he really was not working full time? It specifically states in the employee policy that only work for the city is to be done during business hours. No personal business allowed. I have a question for the City Administrator. If you knew about this and thought it was okay, should we also check on you? The General section of the employee policy seems pretty clear to me. I have a comment for Mr. Fehrenbacher. You said you saw no problem because you are moonlighting as a councilmember. First of all, after that comment, reelection looks pretty grim for you. It must be the fluoride in the city water. You know it dumbs you down besides other bad affects on your health. Anyways you may not be in compliance with your employee policy either if you are taking time during your work day to do city business and you did not get prior approval from your employer. Did you get prior approval? If you did, I am sure the time you spend during the day for the City is noooooooo way near the time that John Meyer spent on his personal businesses. Again, according to policy he was not supposed to be doing this during the work day. This is taxpayer money and goes against the employee policy. This policy existed when he was hired and he was fully aware of it. This business of his was probably already established and he still accepted the position of Finance Director probably knowing what a sweet deal that he would have time during the day to also run his business. In conclusion, all I have to say to the Mayor and Council Members is that you really have to start representing the people like you are supposed to because I definitely see a new Mayor and Council Members in the next election. UNBELIEVABLE! THIS TOWN NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME!
"I bet you will find a lot of phone calls made by John Meyer during business hours for his business while working for our City unless he used a cell phone."
The phone number listed for his business is 320-420-1000. That also happens to be his cell phone and the city could not get the call records without a court order. Highly unlikely it would try considering that the Mayor and Administrator believe he walked on water. Tom Lee even wanted to put wow in the job description for the replacement.
That cell # is the smoking gun.
Just called 320.420.1000. It has a generic outgoing message. No name, no business, no information.
No wonder the last finance director has been unavailable for comment in all the recent newspaper articles.
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