BUDGET, FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

April 22, 2003                                     5:30 P.M.                                        Courthouse

MINUTES:

Members Present:                            Others Present:                        Others Present:

Comm. Bob Bullen                           Nancy Allen                               Evans Maples

Comm. Anthony Johnson                Comm. Carol Cook                  Lara Hilliard

Comm. Will Jordan                          Comm. Tina Jones                   Jeff Craig

Comm. Robert Peay                        Comm. Faye Elam                  Sherry McCullough

Comm. Steve Sandlin                      Comm. Jeff Phillips                  Jennifer Farish

Comm. Doug Shafer                        Comm. Paul Johnson               Elaine Cawthon

Comm. Joyce Ealy, Chair.               Comm. Dwight Throneberry

Chairman Joyce Ealy presided and called the meeting to order with all members being present.

FINANCE DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS:

Ms. Sherry McCullough, The Holland Group, conducted the interviews and asked a series of questions to each candidate.  At the end of each interview session, the Budget Committee members were given the opportunity to ask questions to the candidates.

The committee asked Ms. McCullough what would be her recommendation in the event the committee could not reach a decision on the candidates interviewed.  Ms. McCullough advised it would be her recommendation to expand the search if the committee was not comfortable with the candidates.  She stated it would be her recommendation to expand the search to include the southeast region of the United States.

The first candidate interviewed was Mr. Mark Allen, 24 Bob White Drive, Manchester, TN  37355.  Mr. Allen informed the committee he had been an auditor with the State of Tennessee, Comptroller of the Treasury for 17 years, and he served as the Director of Accounts and Budgets in Coffee County for two years.  He is currently serving as the Interim Finance Director for the City of Manchester.

The second candidate interviewed was Mrs. Lisa Nolen, 831 Allen Road, Murfreesboro, TN  37129.  Mrs. Nolen explained her experience with the State of Tennessee, Division of Municipal Audit and the Tennessee Veterans Home.  She was employed by the Rutherford County Board of Education for two years, and is currently the Special Projects Coordinator in the Rutherford County Finance Department where she has been employed for five years.

The third candidate interviewed was Mr. Doug Swann, 2117 Ravenwood Drive, Murfreesboro, TN  37129.  Mr. Swann has most recently served in the position of Director of Finance & Administration for the Tennessee Health Care Association.  He has also operated his own CPA firm where he audited small businesses and governmental units.

The fourth candidate interviewed was Mr. Joel McLemore, 2606 Bluebird Circle, Duluth, GA  30096.  Mr. McLemore is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, and received his law degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.  He has 25 years of banking and financial experience.  He was a Federal bank examiner for ten years before he went to law school. 

Following the interviews and discussion, Comm. Sandlin moved, seconded by Comm. Shafer to select Mr. Thomas Kmak, Ms. Lisa Nolen, and Mr. Doug Swann as the three finalists to be interviewed for the Finance Director position.

Comm. A. Johnson moved, seconded by Comm. Bullen to amend the motion to include Mr. Mark Allen in the final selection.

The amendment to the motion failed by roll call vote with Comm. A. Johnson voting “yes”, and Commissioners Bullen, Jordan, Peay, Sandlin, Shafer and Ealy voting “no”.

Budget Minutes                                                April 22, 2003                                              Page Two

The motion to select Mr. Thomas Kmak, Ms. Lisa Nolen, and Mr. Doug Swann as the three finalists to be interviewed further for the Finance Director position passed unanimously by roll call vote.

Comm. Bullen moved, seconded by Comm. Peay to authorize the County Executive, Chairman Ealy, Elaine Cawthon and Ms. Sherry McCullough to develop a list of questions to be asked to each candidate during the second round of interviews.

The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.

The County Executive, Chairman Ealy, Ms. Cawthon and Ms. McCullough will meet Friday, May 2 at 3:30 P.M. to develop the list of questions.

It was noted if any Budget Committee member wanted to submit questions, they should do so before Friday, May 2.

The committee set the following schedule for the second set of interviews to be held in Room 205, Courthouse: 

            May 16, 2003 -            5:30 P.M. – Mr. Thomas Kmak

                                                 7:00 P.M. – Mr. Doug Swann

            May 17, 2003 -            8:30 A.M. – Ms. Lisa Nolen

ADJOURNMENT:

There being no further business to be presented at this time, Chairman Ealy declared the meeting adjourned at 9:20 P.M. 

__________________________________________

Elaine Cawthon, Secretary