“I’d like to look at a purchasing agent,” Carpenter said. “When I look at some of these expenses and where we’re allocating them, I think having a purchasing agency would be very beneficial.”
The commissioners hired Angel Burton in May as finance director, a position that was vacant since early February, with a $111,500 annual salary, but they have delayed filling a new assets, purchasing and projects director and assistant county administrator.
Boyko began the year, when the financial landscape was robust, looking to fill out her management team. Due to the pandemic she had a hard time finding Burton and lost a prime candidate she wanted for the asset director.
She had offered the assets, purchasing and projects director position that had a pay range of $84,219 to $124,800 to one of the 100 who applied, but he declined.
“With the volatility in the economy, the candidate has decided right now is not the right time to transition,” she said at the time. “I’m not going to pursue that position anytime soon. It’s on hold unless I find an outstanding candidate.”
The county has not had an asset and purchasing director since November 2016, when Randy Quisenberry left for a job at the Council on Aging for Southwest Ohio.
Boyko told the Journal-News it is clear the position is critical, but as things have evolved through the pandemic that position was one of the cuts she made to comply with the commissioners’ directive to trim 4.14 percent off the 2020 approved budgets.
“Certainly if an ideal candidate appears I will reassess and come back to the commissioners with a modified revised budget that meets their guidance,” Boyko said. “But at this time practically speaking, amid all the priorities of COVID I don’t believe I can realistically, pragmatically fill that position this year.”
The county is anticipating a $20 million drop in general fund revenues this year, the revenue source that would pay for the position. Sales tax receipts have come in higher than early estimates. Boyko said federal stimulus money, unemployment extensions and additional funding are likely driving spending. But those funds will dry up soon unless Congress acts.
Commissioner Don Dixon said there is still so much uncertainty he could not support filing the position.
“We’ve done well without one. Would it be ideal to have one, yes it would,” Dixon said. “But we don’t have that luxury, we just don’t.”
He said the department heads and office holders have done a good job cooperating on making purchases and other things that director would centralize.
“I understand the reasoning but the time is just terrible,” he said. “It can’t happen in my opinion.”
Commissioner T.C. Rogers said he would support a new hire if Boyko finds the right person.
“A purchasing agent should be able to have no net cost,” Rogers said. “They should be saving us enough money to justify (the position).”
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