County may get new planning and zoning administrator

Audit in final stretch         

[March 17, 2007]  At the close of Thursday's evening's county workshop session, chairman Dick Logan introduced William D'Andrea to the board and has proposed hiring him to perform the planning and code enforcement functions. D'Andrea is a full-time student at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary and holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning and a bachelor's degree in economics.

The planning and code enforcement functions have been performed by Dewey Colter, county coordinator for the past two and a half years. Colter resigned a couple of months ago to return to the private sector.

When questioned by Pat O'Neill about the salary and hours, Logan stated that D'Andrea would be working 20 hours per week at approximately $30,000 annually, but the final figure is still to be negotiated.

The Regional Planning Commission chairman, William Glaze, announced at last Wednesday's meeting that the contract with current director Phil Mahler would be terminated. Since a quorum of members was not present, no vote or official action was taken.

The recommendation comes during a hiring freeze currently in place by the full board. Health and emergency workers were made exempt. The freeze was set in place until the current county budget can be amended in accordance with the results of the overdue audit.

Fieldwork by the auditors was completed at the close of Friday, except for a few things that will be taken care of by phone on Monday. Finance chairman Chuck Ruben said that John Weber from the auditing office of Crowe Chizek has said that the audit would be back by March 23.

Ruben mused that the new audit work begins next week. Clifton Gunderson won the new three-year bid.

A special finance meeting has been scheduled for March 27 to look at the audit.

The Regional Planning Commission meets on April 4 at 7 p.m.

It is planned that the March 20 board-of-the-whole meeting will be adjourned to April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in order to vote on decisions.

[Dale Voyles with contributing information from Jan Youngquist]