Changes

Changes are afoot in Jefferson County and the writing has been on the wall for several weeks. Jefferson County Finance Director Helton is exiting stage left and he will soon be the Director of the Chamber of Commerce. Is this a surprise? The surprise was not in the fact that he received the nod for the Chamber position but in that he applied in the first place. Helton served as a member of EDOC via his position as the Jefferson County Director of Finance, so he has history with the Chamber, but most would not consider the move from the CFO of Jefferson County to the CEO of the local Chamber to be a lateral move. While no one outside the Chamber or EDOC Board seems to be aware of exactly what the pay is for the Chamber position, the Director of Finance for Jefferson County makes in excess of $80,000 which is not chump change. The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and EDOC have ongoing legal issues, filed by citizens, due to transparency issues with tax payer funds. All in all, the Chamber position may be a little bit like jumping from the fire into a less lucrative frying pan. Truth is, I wish him well. The Chamber has spent a few years immersed in a public relations nightmare and this job may be an uphill battle. Of course, Helton’s current position is no cake walk. He has been knee deep in a TBI investigation for an employee embezzlement that happened on his watch and, lately, questions have arisen from elected officials about the quality of information that has been coming from the Finance Office.

I hope that this is the right decision for Helton, the Chamber and Jefferson County as a whole. The Industrial Development Board is in the process of identifying property for an Industrial Development Park and the Director of the Chamber will be instrumental in the development of that property. More than hoping that Helton is the right fit for the Chamber, I hope that Jefferson County can find the right fit for the Director of Finance for Jefferson County. The Finance Committee will be charged with the search and it will be one of the most important that they do in their tenure on the Committee. This will be the person that answers the financial questions for Jefferson County and leads the County Commission in decision making on issues of importance. Current and perspective building programs, bond issues and financial management acts are all a part of the future for the Director of Finance for Jefferson County. Certainly, we need financial leadership and we need it badly. Times are changing in Jefferson County- A new County Commission, new committees, a new CEO for the Chamber of Commerce and a new Finance Director for Jefferson County. Perhaps we are on the road to progress-bumpy though it may be.