The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG-Over the past month, City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe has been helping the City of Dayton with budgetary tasks, filling gaps left after former Administrator Trina Cole was dismissed from her position.

Hinchliffe said that he had approached Dayton's mayor, Zac Weatherford, shortly after three employees were fired abruptly in June. He offered to help the city to bridge administrative gaps.

"I reached out to Zac (Weatherford) and said, 'hey, if you need anything, just let me know. I'm happy to help you guys out," Hinchliffe said. "A couple of months went by, they weren't having any luck getting anybody, and then it was budget season."

The temporary contract with Dayton is not the first time Hinchliffe had offered help to a neighboring city. In October, he spent roughly one week assisting the City of Prescott in getting their new administrator up to speed.

Throughout November, Hinchliffe said, he spent approximately 30 hours helping the City of Dayton build and layout the proposed 2022 budget, reconcile bank statements and other financial statements for the 2021 year, and help get proper budget-related software ready.

The Dayton City Council passed Resolution 1482 at their regular meeting on November 10, authorizing the temporary contract for $40 per hour. Hinchliffe said there is no limit to the number of hours he can work for Dayton and that the bulk of his work has been done remotely. His position as City Administrator for the City of Waitsburg is based on 35 hours per week.

"I'm just trying to help them get through the year," Hinchliffe said.

Hinchliffe shared that Deb Hays, the interim-city administrator, has been great to work with.

"She didn't do that side of the job over there and didn't quite understand the budget process, the hearing process, the property taxes and all of that," he said. "I have been walking her through that, because there are a bunch of standard forms you have to fill out for the county."

He will continue to help if needed, but, looking forward, Hinchliffe said he wasn't sure how many hours he could justify working for the City of Dayton if they offer a long-term Ticontract. His priorities are still with Waitsburg, and, after the first of the year, he does not think that there will be much spare time available.

"If it came down to it and they needed someone to reconcile bank statements and what not once a month, help move things along, no big deal- a couple of hours here and there will not affect me in the long run," he said.

He said that he expects to help through the end of the year and will help out lightly into the first of the upcoming year.