In a recent article published by the Valley Indy they incorrectly stated “the mayor’s chief of staff … is supervising the city’s finance office in the absence of a finance director.”
I wrote to them and informed them their statement was incorrect. I asked that they correct their misinformation and inform their readers correctly.
I informed them that the deputy finance director, Nancy Balsys, in the absence of a finance director has been serving as the acting finance director as outlined in her duties and responsibilities.
Nancy has 20 years of wide-ranging experience in municipal finance. As acting finance director, Nancy oversaw the hiring and training of a brand new staff after the previous staff chose to find employment in other departments after the Aldermen reinstated the finance director, who was placed on leave for repeatedly violating the city charter. As the acting finance director she has consolidated many of the smaller accounts in the banks we deal with, virtually eliminating the bank fees incurred under the previous finance director, which exceeded $30,000. As the acting director, she has also instituted the investment of city revenue in excess of current operating needs which has generated thousands of dollars in additional revenue. Something, the previous finance director failed to do.
Make no mistake about it, the deputy finance director is supervising the city’s finance office and doing it very well. The deputy finance director position is a 35-hour per week union position. Nancy has put in hours well beyond that. She deserves to be recognized for undertaking the responsibilities of being the acting finance director and supervising the city’s finance office in the absence of a finance director and doing so with excellence.
Walt Mayhew
Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan’s Chief Of Staff
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