GunderKline sworn in as Miami Township Fiscal Officer
- Published: April 20, 2024
New Miami Township Fiscal Officer Jeanna GunderKline was sworn in by Trustee Chair Don Hollister at the most recent regular meeting of the Township Trustees Monday, April 1.
GunderKline was elected to the position for a four-year term last November and succeeds Margaret Silliman, who served as fiscal officer for 24 years.
During the meeting, the trustees also unanimously approved the appointment of Miami Township Fire-Rescue paramedic Georgia Goad, previously a part-time employee, to a full-time lieutenant position at the suggestion of Interim Fire Chief Dennis Powell; Goad replaces Jason Paoletti, who resigned from a full-time position earlier this month.
Following the appointment, the Trustees briefly discussed a proposed resolution brought forth by Powell to reclassify three other part-time employees as full-time — a move that would qualify the employees for a pension.
Miami Township Trustee Don Hollister swore in the township’s new fiscal officer, Jeanna GunderKline, at the trustees’ April 1 meeting. (Submitted photo)
Trustee Marilan Moir estimated that MTFR has about $177,000 of unencumbered funds in Township coffers at present, and noted that “50–80%” of those funds would be needed to acquire a lease-purchase fire engine in the coming years.
“I really feel like three at one time is a huge budgetary leap for us,” Moir said.
Powell acknowledged the need for budgetary caution, but suggested that moving part-time employees to full-time could make it less likely for those employees to be paid overtime, as full-time staff must meet a higher baseline of hours before they enter overtime pay.
“It’s a substantial amount of savings that we would not necessarily be paying,” Powell said. “Of the three people I’ve proposed for pension, they’ve made almost $4,900 between the three of them in overtime — if they were in pension, they would not see any of that overtime.”
Trustee Chair Hollister moved to table the discussion until the next regular meeting Monday, April 15, when the trustees and Powell will deliberate on the matter in executive session.
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