Auditor gets more time to hire finance director

More than seven months after being authorized to hire a director of Whitman County’s finances, Auditor Eunice Coker Monday told commissioners she needs to put the job back out for hire.

Coker said she received three applications for the job when she initially advertised it last fall. Two of those applicants, she said, took other jobs, and the interview panel formed to hire the director decided to advertise the position again to draw more candidates.

She said more supervisory duties have been added to the job description. Kelli Campbell, county human resources director, said she would have to see if the new duties would change the salary, which is expected to be about $71,000 per year including benefits.

Commissioners decided to allow Coker a finance director after she seized control of finance duties in June.

Though state law puts financial statements and budget preparation under the auditor’s authority, employees working under Whitman County commissioners have been doing the duties since the mid-1980s.

County officials are currently preparing the year-end financial statement for state auditors. The statement is due in May.

Commissioners also gave themselves authority to hire an administrative director. They hired Gary Petrovich from Spokane in November.