07/31/2007

Library redevelopment - We are getting ready to make some changes in the library. We're running out of space for offices in Knoxville and are not able to expand to other offices in this building. Frances came up with the idea of consolidating the library shelving into a system of sliding shelves. The sliding shelves will be installed where Frances and Becky have their offices now. The existing shelves will come down and we will install cubical offices in their place. All of this is likely to take six months. In the meantime, we are asking new hires to sit at any available desk and sometimes in the conference room. It will be great when it's finished but it will be a while before then.

New positions (part 1) - The reason for the library redevelopment is the number of new positions we have. And, we're working on a few more, so I'll be sending out a new positions (part 2) email soon. For the moment, here's what we are working on:

Program Resource Specialist - We are still recruiting for a full-time position in Nashville.

Business Manager - We will advertise later this week to fill the business manager position. Shara's last day with us was in June, but sometimes it takes a while to move the paperwork through. In the meantime, Ron Loewen, IPS chief business officer, has been spending a day a week with Tess and me to help us keep up.

And then we have five positions that are part of the Certified Municipal Finance Officer program that was recently approved by the Legislature.

Finance consultant - We have three positions - one in Knoxville, one in Nashville, and one in Jackson. After all three are hired, we will reconfigure the finance consultants' territories. The new positions will work with our current finance consultants to both provide technical assistance and to work with the new certified municipal finance office program. We will start recruiting for these positions soon - - if you know of anyone who might be interested, please ask them to contact me.

Training consultant - We have one position in Knoxville that will work primarily with the certified municipal finance officer program. We will start recruiting for this position soon. Again, if you know of anyone who might be interested, please ask them to contact me.

Administrative Specialist II - We have added one new support position in Knoxville to work both with the new certified municipal finance office program and with our current staff. We have already started recruiting and some people who saw the ad in the paper Sunday thought that Armintha was leaving. Heaven forbid! This position will work with Armintha to help keep up with and work with the growing number of consultants.

As I mentioned above, we are working on a couple (I hope) of other positions and we should have some more recruiting to start soon.

These are more positions than we usually have open so I'm serious in that I'd appreciate it if everyone could help us recruit qualified applicants. Thanks.