City looking for new finance director

The city’s new finance director won’t need to worry about an expected $3.8 million in cuts needed for this year’s budget formation as current finance director Gayle Whittle will stay with the city until April.

The city is currently looking to fill Whittle’s position, as she expects to retire April 16. Whittle originally planned to retire earlier, but decided to stay with the city in order to help form the city’s financial budget. Initial budget discussions are under way, including paring down about $3.8 million in necessary cuts for the coming year. Whittle said the firing of former city manager Richard Kaffenberger in October also contributed to her decision.

“I knew this was going to be a very difficult budget season,” she said. “I knew it was going to be a difficult transition for the city to have a new interim city manager (Charlie Cassens) and a new finance director.”

The city’s notice states the position requires a “bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting with nine years of progressively responsible public-sector finance experience, including four years at the management level. A master’s degree and (certified public accountant) is highly desirable.” The position is expected to have an annual salary range of $101,000 to $116,000.

Cassens said he expects most of the budget work will be completed before Whittle retires.

“By that time, we hope to have most of the difficult work completed on the budget and we’ll be in the position of doing mostly fine-tuning for the final adoption,” he said. “We have staff onboard now working on the budget so the budget is not a worry. We really appreciate the fact that Gayle was willing to stay to help us with it.”

Candidates must apply for the position by March 19. Cassens added the position might not be filled by April 16.

“There is a very good possibility that we’d have to go a few weeks or a month or so without a department director,” he said. “Naturally we’d like to have someone come on as quickly as possible, but with a nationwide search, it’s very likely a candidate might not be available right away.”

Whittle said she feels very comfortable with the finance department staff handling the transition.

“We have several long-tenured employees who are really going to be able to help with things and any changes,” she said. “I can’t say enough about the finance department staff. They are all very dedicated, very hardworking and care about the city a lot. I think over the years, they’ve helped me look good and I couldn’t have done half the things we did without them.”

Whittle said she was proud of her work with the wastewater system expansion program and ensuring the city had a plan for future sustainability.

“(The sewer project) probably took a great deal of my time and was probably my most significant achievement,” she said, adding that the project was made easier with the coordination of the City Council, the Public Works Department and other city staff. “We all worked to define a great plan that would have the least impact to residents on a monthly basis.”

Whittle said she accomplished many of her goals in her five years with the city.

“We came up with a system for longer range planning for the budget process and setting sustainable fiscal policies for city,” she said. “I think the city is in a great position going into the future and I’m glad I was a part of that.”

Whittle previously worked for the city from 1990 to 1996, before accepting a job in Utah and working as Bullhead City’s finance director. She has been with Lake Havasu City as the finance director since 2005. For her retirement, Whittle said she plans on moving to the Phoenix metropolitan area to spend more time with her children and grandchildren and said she will keep busy with volunteer work.

You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com