LONG SAULT – South Stormont is planning to hire a financial analyst and outsource its payroll operations in order to “address current and immediate challenges” with its swamped finance department.
The financial analyst position, which is not budgeted for this year, would cost $58,000 to $70,000 a year plus $17,500-$22,000 in benefits. The money would come from the township’s rainy day fund for operations and then would be added into the 2021 budget, according to a council report.
The analyst would work on grant research and submission, budget development as well as cover a number of roles as a financial assistant for the department.
The chances of finding a person to fill that position could be tough as CAO Debi LucasSwitzer said last month financial analysts are in short supply in Ontario.
As for outsourcing payroll, the actual amount of money that will be saved hasn’t been determined yet but is expected to come in a service delivery review report, which is currently being done by WSCS Consulting.
Council heard last month that the township’s two-person finance department along with contracted staff was logging hundred of hours of unpaid personal time as well as maxing out overtime just trying to keep up with the workload.
In a report to council for this afternoon’s meeting (Oct. 14), CAO Debi LucasSwitzer says the department is “missing timelines or deadlines, or just meeting them by using substantial overtime hours that are not compensated for.”