WARREN Department reorganization requires new hire, official says
The auditor also wants to increase pay for one employee.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city is looking to reorganize its finance department -- a task that should include adding another position, the city auditor says.
Dave Griffing, at the helm of the department, told city council's finance committee Tuesday the Government Accounting Standards Board has changed the way it requires cities to do annual financial reports.
Council could consider changes in the coming weeks.
Changes mean extra work for the department, which Griffing said is already busy.
Reports will be more extensive, meaning the city will have to contract with an agency to handle it or add another position, the auditor said.
He pointed to a recent state performance audit of his department that suggested his staff handle more financial matters in-house.
The new position would be entry-level and command an hourly rate of $16.34, or roughly $34,000 a year, Griffing said.
The department has six employees now, including the auditor, who said everyone on his staff has accounting degrees.
In addition, Griffing proposed an increased salary for one of his employees who would also have to absorb some of the additional work.
Recommends job descriptions: Councilwoman Susan Hartman, D-7th, told Griffing clear-cut job descriptions are lacking for his staff.
Without job descriptions, she said, the city won't be able to reprimand or fire an employee in the department for not doing his or her job.
She suggested Griffing ask the city's personnel department for help in writing descriptions, and the auditor said he's done that a few times, to no avail.
Griffing said job descriptions would be beneficial to the department but pointed out his overtaxed staff doesn't have time right now to draft them.
Some workers are so busy they have trouble scheduling days off, he added.
The auditor told the committee the city has one person handling all payroll matters and needs someone to help her part time.
davis@vindy.com