Minutes from Special Meeting for Mount Vernon City Council

Special Meeting Minutes
July 15, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
Attendee Title Status
Janis Seavolt At Large Present
Tammy Woods Third Ward Present
Mel Severns Councilman Present
Mike Miller Fourth Ward Present
James Mahan First Ward Present
John Ruckman Second Ward Present
Bruce Hawkins President Present
Amber Keener At Large Absent
The special meeting was called for the limited purpose of discussing the Auditor’s
compliance with Resolution No. 2024-64, adopted by Council on June 24, 2024, to enter into
contract for the NeoGov Suite of Programs, contract for payroll services with McDaniels
CPA, and authorize and direct the Auditor to transfer certain funds in support of these
actions. There was no roll call. Keener was absent.
PUBLIC PORTION
In addition to Council, present were Mayor Matthew Starr, Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers, Law Director
Rob Broeren, Auditor Terry Scott, Renee McDaniel of McDaniel CPAs, Olivia Stein on the video equipment and
Clerk Todd Hill.
Seavolt suggested the situation at hand was caused by a communication problem. Auditor Terry Scott noted that
funds have been transferred for the shifting of payroll duties to McDaniel, and acknowledged that some payroll
numbers have not been calculated properly at the department level. He added that the Auditor’s office has been short
two staffers for at least 12 months. Severns expressed concern that payroll was still a paper system. Scott noted that
communication between his office and the Administration has been inadequate, and Severns countered that the issue
was one of compliance, not communication. Seavolt suggested that McDaniel learn the payroll system during an off
week. Scott acknowledged that it’s time to update his office’s payroll system. He added that he has been working 70
hours a week for the past 12 months, but that one staffer has been hired with the start date yet to be determined,
while another offer of employment was going to go out soon. Renee McDaniel suggested that the payroll process
should take less than five days. Mahan noted that it was Council’s intent that all payroll be contracted out, and asked
if that were feasible. Scott and McDaniel agreed that they would meet this week, and Miller expressed concern
about the delay, although he added that he was encouraged at the new hires. Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers
then explained the contract with NeoGov, detailed the implementation timeline, and added that Human Resources
would be tasked with that process. Finally, Scott noted that all the City’s outstanding bills had been paid as of
Friday.