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O.S.-Hoquiam partnership?
According to a press release just issued, “The City Councils of the City of Hoquiam and Ocean Shores will consider a short-term agreement to provide financial management services to the City of Ocean Shores beginning September 1. ”
“The resignation of Ocean Shores Finance Director Art Wuerth created the opportunity to consider other methods of delivering essential public services. This partnership is about service collaboration and benefits it can bring to the citizens we serve over the long term,” said Ocean Shores Mayor Garland French. “We believe this relationship would reduce duplication in administration, improve operating efficiency and provide better opportunities for sharing resources. This agreement is crafted to create a win-win situation that benefits citizens in both jurisdictions in a way that is fiscally responsible and fair.”
The City of Hoquiam Finance Department has been a leader in municipal finance. The City has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officer’s Association and Washington Finance Officer’s Association. Hoquiam also recently had their Investment Policy certified by the Association of Public Treasurers.
Under the agreement, Ocean Shores would pay Hoquiam a monthly fee for service and Hoquiam would assume responsibility for managing Ocean Shores’ Finance Department as well as assisting in the production of the 2011 Budget. All Ocean Shores Finance Department employees will remain employees of Ocean Shores. The agreement would run through the end of 2010.
Department heads and employees from both cities are in support of the partnership and approval of the agreement. The agreement calls for maintaining current staffing levels at the finance departments in Hoquiam and Ocean Shores. However, both departments will be managed by only one Finance Director. Hoquiam Finance Director Mike Folkers was the Finance Director for Ocean Shores from 2002 to 2006 and is intimately familiar with their people, software and processes.
Hoquiam Mayor Jack Durney said citizens and business owners in both Ocean Shores and Hoquiam won’t notice any changes in service delivery when the agreement takes effect on September 1. “When they transact business in either City, they will continue to receive the same high quality service,” he said. “In fact, combining staffing of both departments could create opportunities to make additional resources available and enhance service to benefit citizens in both cities.”
I agree with Mr. Stermer-Cox. Why isn’t O Shores seeking to simply hire a new Finance Director and pay the salary to him/her vs having another communities finance dept digging around in “our communities business”!! Come on, in these times when highly qualified people are out of work, the city of O Shores should be able to find/hire someone that could do an even better job than our last money man who beat feet out of town just before all the lid bills come out and the library issue gets decided. Coincidence?? I think not.! Or is it simply that the mayor didn’t work well with our last FD and doesn’t want to repeat that situation? And by the way, what is our city councils position on all this or does strong mayor mean they don’t get a say when the mayor decides to do something involving other communities? This is something I would like to see discussed in council.
welcome to hoquiam, wa, ocean shores subdivision
I have no opinion either way on this type of arrangement. However, if I were part of our city government, I would be embarrassed that we can’t do our own financial management. I hope it works out because I agree with Crabber – “it ain’t happn’ here”. And hasn’t for the 10 years I’ve lived here.
This could be the start of regional solutions for many of the needs of both cities. I wonder if they are using the same software. We just purchased a new system. Hopefully they can get it running properly and provide timely, detailed and accurate reports.
somebody’s gotta do it. it ain’t happn’ here.