Westminster?s finance and human resources director is stepping down two weeks after the passage of a controversial budget with fee and tax increases.
Joseph Urban simply felt it was a good time to retire, said Mayor Thomas Ferguson, who announced his resignation Thursday.
Urban, who started work for the city in 2002, said by phone that it was a “personal decision” and refused to comment further.
Urban?s retirement is effective Aug. 1, but unused vacation and holiday
time made his last day Wednesday.
David Albright, the city?s assistant treasurer, will assume Ferguson?s finance responsibilities; Darlene Childs, the city?s human resources supervisor, will take over as human resource director.
Ferguson commended Urban for pushing for a new accounting system that will help workers keep better track of finances with monthly financial statements. The city budget includes $500,000 to purchase the new accounting system, Ferguson said.
The city will not start to look for a permanent replacement for Urban until at least after a city administrator ? a position new this year ? is hired.
The mayor and council are expected to meet in June with The Mercer Group Inc., which is charged with finding candidates for the city administrator position, Council Member Greg Pecoraro said Thursday.
As Westminster?s government has grown from a small group of officials to a $25-million-a-year organization, so too has the need for a city administrator, he said.
“I can?t think of too many organizations that big that don?t have a city manager who is in charge of the day-to-day operations,” he said.
Residents have criticized the new position?s $100,000 salary, which is included in the recently adopted budget.
“Youhave to pay that to get a competent professional administrator,” Pecoraro said.
