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Seeking ‘treasure’ in W-G |
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Tuesday, 13 May 2008 |
School board to hire new fiscal officer following resignation
By KRISTIN REICHARDT
Assistant Managing Editor
Waynesfield-Goshen Schools Board of Education members are faced with hiring a treasurer prior to transitioning into a new school building this fall as the current treasurer makes a move to a new school district.
Board members recently accepted Debbie Pierce’s resignation as treasurer, effective July 31, following five years of service to the district.
Pierce plans to begin her role as treasurer of Parkway School District on Aug. 1, a move she made to be closer to home after marrying and relocating this past June.
“My husband (Randy Pierce) lives in Convoy, where I relocated,” Pierce said Monday. “It’s just about 25 minutes north of Parkway, so my commute will be less than half of the distance it is now.“That’s the sole reason,” she
said, adding that it is a lateral move, otherwise. “I love working here and with everyone at Waynesfield-Goshen. That part of it’s hard to leave.”
During the summer, Pierce is to work per diem for both school districts, helping to train her replacement and becoming acclimated to the Parkway Schools by working with the interim treasurer.
A graduate of Delphos St. Johns High School, Pierce formerly worked for three years as the director of internal audits at Visalia Unified School District, in Visalia, Calif., and as a consultant for Holgate School District, near Napoleon, for six months before taking the treasurer position at Waynesfield-Goshen Schools in 1993.
She obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting in 1993 from California State University in Fresno. Pierce became a certified public accountant (CPA) in 1999 and earned her Ohio treasurer’s license in 2003.
Pierce said her previous experience working in school business gave her a desire to continue working in education. Working at a more rural school district has prepared her to make the jump to the larger Parkway Schools by giving her the chance to work in different aspects of school finances.
“The treasurer’s position allows me to wear a lot of different hats, to assist the other administrators, teachers, so they can best serve the students,” Pierce said. “There’s no such thing as a treasurer in California, so all the financial responsibilities fall on the Finance Department.
“Here, I have all the financial responsibilities that fall on the treasurer’s office — the treasurer and the treasurer’s assistant,” she said. “There’s a lot more variety that one person is responsible for.”
In her work with the school’s various departments, Pierce helped to implement a new cash register system in the school cafeteria, worked with grant management at the federal and state levels and worked with financing related to the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) school building project, among other responsibilities.
Superintendent Earnie Jones said Pierce is very personable and cooperative, always willing to put forth extra effort in her work.
“She is willing to discuss, talk with any of the staff members if they have a financial issue or concern,” Jones said. “She’s been very accessible to all of our staff, I think that’s a big plus on her behalf.
“She’s very competent and has done a good job here,” he said.
Those interested in filling the treasurer position are asked to direct their cover letters and resumes to Jones or the Auglaize County Educational Service Center (ESC).
Jones said approximately 40 people had submitted resumes prior to Monday. The full-time position requires a licensed treasurer, preferably with experience, who is willing to stay abreast of the financial and legislative changes mandated by the Ohio Department of Education.
“A person who doesn’t mind putting time into making sure things are completely accurate, and someone who is willing to take interest in the school district and community — to me personally that’s very important,” Jones said. “Any time a person is in a school setting it’s about people, and it’s just a matter so the community and the students get to know the treasurer. It’s one of the key positions in the school district.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 14 May 2008 )
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