Filling the gaps
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
The Washburn City Commission is putting a temporary -- and expensive -- bandage on its staffing issue, covering the city office with temporary help as it seeks a new auditor and receptionist.
An emergency meeting called to order at 7 p.m. March 8 was the second of three meetings held over the last week to address staffing the suddenly-vacant auditor’s office. The commission convened a meeting early in the morning March 5 to approve resignations and talk strategy, gathering again a few days later with some options.
City Commission President Larry Thomas said there were a couple of local individuals that had some accounting or secretarial experience, but either didn’t use the same programs as the city office or weren’t quite qualified for the auditor position. He said the commission also had an application from a Mandan woman, Nadine Hildebrand, who has “quite a bit of skill.”
Thomas went on to say that he had been in contact with AE2S Engineering regarding AE2S Nexus, the company’s financial group that offers staffing. Thomas said Hildebrand would charge $33 per hour and that, in comparison, AE2S Nexus staff members were pricey.
“The thing about Nexus -- it’s expensive,” Thomas said. “Nexus is about $152 per hour, and mileage and all this other stuff.”
Jasper Klein of AE2S said many of the Nexus staff members brought a lot of experience, with some who had served as auditors in the past. Klein said that Karla Harmel, a financial analyst, was from Rugby and would cost $152 per hour. He said that he wasn’t sure she would be available, but that Nexus had a second employee for the commission to consider.
