County finance situation proposed – The Ellsworth AmericanThe Ellsworth American
ELLSWORTH — Hancock County officials want to incorporate a finance manager or director to the payroll.
Hancock County Administrator Scott Adkins, who was finance director for Penobscot County for a 10 years, has been serving unofficially in that capability since he was employed 5 decades in the past.
Adkins talked about the placement with the Hancock County Commissioners at the board’s common every month assembly Tuesday.
The consensus, just after a great deal discussion, is that Adkins can not properly take care of the county and perform on assignments when he’s expending 50 % his time performing the finances.
“We merely need some leadership out there,” Adkins stated of the finance office environment, “and we will need some continuity. It’s a person of all those very last pieces to solidify Hancock County governing administration.”
“I see a require for this,” reported Commissioner Paul Paradis. “I believe the treasurer’s place is turning out to be far more out of date. I really don’t see that’s working. All over again, I’m very new.”
Hancock County Treasurer Michael Boucher, when he was elected two several years back without the need of any finance or accounting encounter, experienced supposed to master the position, but it did not get the job done out, in accordance to Chairman Monthly bill Clark.
“He agreed to work under the protege of Scott Adkins and study how to do the function,” Clark mentioned.
The county was spending Boucher the foundation wage for Office environment of Treasurer ($200 a week) as well as an hourly wage and health insurance plan.
“After two yrs, it grew to become clear he wasn’t likely to learn how to do it,” stated Clark.
So, now Boucher is paid the treasurer’s income of $200 a 7 days. The county also pays the treasurer’s wellbeing insurance plan, estimated at $10,000 every year.
“This is a case of in which the treasurer is just a non-entity,” said Clark. “The finance clerk contacts him when there is a warrant and we have a pair of all those a month, he blesses it and says go forward and publish it.”
The American could not achieve Boucher for comment in advance of press time.
Clark has been lobbying, considering the fact that he was sheriff, for the county to change from obtaining an elected treasurer to a single that is appointed by the commissioners.
Funds are just way too elaborate for an individual who hasn’t gained the education and training, he suggests.
“The working day that Scott Adkins walks out of in this article without having a finance supervisor, we’re in problems,” Clark said. “I’ve claimed for the 5 several years I have been right here [as commissioner] we want this.”
Commissioner John Wombacher concurred.
“I assume Scott’s part in keeping tabs on all this has been excellent, but it is not sustainable,” Wombacher said. “We want to occur up with a option. This is a remedy. The county administrator is more substantial than being the county accountant. I want him to be free of charge to function on county initiatives and not set in 40 per cent of his time or a lot more just preserving the books.”
The commissioners are going to discuss the challenge more at a upcoming meeting.
