Finance director changes jobs
Jessica Hyman to be city’s personnel administrator
Texarkana, Ark., Finance Director Jessica Hyman has accepted a position as the city’s personnel administrator.
Hyman has been supervising personnel since 2011 and served as the city’s finance director since March 2012. Because the finance director position may not be filled until September, Hyman said she will continue to operate in both capacities until then. If no one is hired by then, TyRhonda Henderson, the city’s controller, will then act as interim finance director, Hyman said.
“I want more personal time with my family,” Hyman said. “I love working with the city, and I don’t want to leave, so when the personnel position became vacant, it seemed like a good opportunity for me and my family.”
Hyman had a baby in December. Kristen Cowan, who previously served as personnel administrator, left her post in late March. Mayor Wayne Smith said Cowan got married and left her job to go to the town where her husband was working.
City Manager Harold Boldt sent a letter to members of the Board of Directors on June 9 and explained the situation. In the letter, Boldt explains that last month, the Board of Directors passed a resolution that authorized him to select and hire a personnel administrator.
“(Jessica) expressed to me that she was interested in a position with less responsibility and time demands,” Boldt wrote in the letter. “While it would be my desire for her to remain finance director, I understand her reasons for wanting to transfer positions. I have considered her application and believe she would be a great candidate for the personnel administrator position. … She has expressed her willingness to make the transition to a new finance director as smooth as possible.”
Boldt also wrote that he did not think Hyman’s transition from finance director to personnel administrator would affect the city’s budget preparations.
“I am confident these changes will have no negative impact on the daily operations of the Finance Department or the budget process this year,” Boldt wrote.
Hyman’s finance director position pays $89,000, but historically, personnel directors for the city make $40,000 to $45,000, she said. Cowan’s salary, $38,000, was slightly less because she was hired without background experience in personnel.
Smith said he understood why Hyman wants to spend more time with her family and hoped the new position would mean less stress for her. The past year has been a stressful one for those dealing with city finances because demands from citizens about the city’s finances finally led to an Investigative Report by the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee was released on Feb. 26.
The objectives of this review were to determine if city funds were used properly; city expenditures were documented properly for an authorized purposed; the city manager followed proper protocols and/or procedures; and if city contributions to the city manager’s retirement were handled properly. The report found the city to be in noncompliance with various state laws, as well as city codes, ordinances, polices, and agreements.
Hyman was not named in the report, but had to testify in front of the Division of Legislative Audit on April 11, as did Smith and Boldt.
Smith said Hyman was the only candidate for the personnel director’s job. Smith said he was thankful Hyman had agreed to continue to work on the budget.
“Jessica has been an outstanding finance director for the city,” Smith said. “I think the city is going to be losing an outstanding finance director, and hopefully we will have a good candidate step in and perform the tasks as well as she did. I want what is best for her.”