Mayor Appoints Director

Aldermen Approve New Title For City Position

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

— Aldermen approved a new title Tuesday for the financial officer of the city and Mayor Greg Hines introduced the new director of finance.

Casey Wilhelm, NorthWest Arkansas Community College comptroller, will become the director of finance for Rogers on Jan. 21.

“I’m excited about having Casey join our city staff,” Hines said.

“I’ve worked with Casey on some public theft cases when I was a law enforcement officer and she was with the Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit. She has a great work ethic, knowledge and professionalism. She is going to be a great asset for the city,” Hines added.

At A Glance

Council Action

Rogers’ City Council met Tuesday and passed:

• A $9,395 contract with Radiophone for a computer upgrade in the dispatch center

• A $3,694 grant for the Arkansas Fire Prevention Commission

• A $48,600 contract with FTN & Associates for work on the Blossom Way Creek trail project

• Amended Chapter 14 of the city code, changing some wording in the design standards for driveways and sidewalks.

• Moved a $232,969 Homeland Security grant into several payroll accounts to allow the Fire Department to hire six firefighters.

• A $7,000 amendment to the Morrison Shipley Engineer contract to add a left turn lane to Locust Street west of the Second Street

• A $200,000 contact with the Rogers-Lowell Industrial Development Corporation, which will handle economic development services Rogers in 2013.

Source: Staff Report

“I’m thrilled about working for Rogers,” said Wilhelm, who’s a certified public accountant with several years of experience in government accounting.

“Municipal accounting is my first love and my passion. I’ve done audits of small towns for years but this will be my first time to work for a city. Government accounting is my background and this position is a good fit for me,” Wilhelm added.

Richard McComas, city treasurer and chief financial officer, took over the position after former treasurer Jerry Hudlow was terminated in May.

“Richard took the position at my request. It was always a temporary appointment. Richard was planning on retiring from Benton County when I asked him to help us out for a few months,” Hines said.

“I will retire this time,” McComas said. “My wife and I plan to visit our children who are spread across the country and travel quite a bit. I’m looking forward to it,” McComas said.

McComas will stay with the city for at least another month, Hines said, to help Casey with the transition.

The ordinance creating the position of director of finance also repealed a previous ordinance establishing the treasurer, chief financial officer’s position.

“This change in title is basically a housekeeping move. Most of the other major cities in the state have already established the director of finance as a department head. We’re just getting on board with the rest of the state,” Hines said.

The ordinance creating the new position allows the mayor or the council, acting on its own behalf, to terminate the director of finance on a two-thirds majority vote.

Hudlow filed a lawsuit against Hines, in his capacity as mayor, and Rogers for wrongful termination after he was fired last year.

Hudlow contends the mayor didn’t have the authority to fire him from his position as treasurer, and only the council could terminate him by a two-thirds majority vote.

Hudlow was given the opportunity to address the council but declined to appear before the council late last year on the advice from his attorney Stephen Wood.

No trial date has been set in federal court for the pending lawsuit.