City finance analyst promoted to office manager

The Colusa City Council promoted Finance Analyst Toni Benson to administrative office manager on Tuesday, a mid-management position.

She will be paid $1,289 more a month, officials said. The pay comes from the General Fund as well as the water and sewer accounts.

Patrick Clark, human resources consultant for Colusa, described the promotion as bringing her up to the class of work she is already performing.

"You are working her out of class," said Clark in a presentation to the council.

"The reclassification of my position now reflects the duties currently being performed and will now also include the authority to manage and supervise staff on a daily basis," said Benson.

The decision places Benson in the role of managing three part-time and two full-time employees. She will be in charge of utility billing, accounts payable and receivable, the general ledger, personnel, payroll and cash management.

"Here, we are multi-tasking," said Benson.

Councilwomen Donna Critchfield and Marylin Acree said Benson will need additional training.

"When you move from a non-supervisor role to a supervisor role, your skill set takes on a different look. It would be helpful to put together a training package," said Acree.

"We need to make sure she can succeed in that role."

"I'm tired of putting people in positions that they are not qualified or trained for. We set people up for failure when we do that," added Critchfield. "We need to provide additional training."

Interim City Manager Randy Dunn said that she had "on the job training."

Dunn said that they will be looking at the need for training internally and that Benson has expressed interest in obtaining additional training.

"She's already had some training, but she has shown interest in going to some additional training for supervisors," said Dunn.

Benson has worked for Colusa for almost 17 years. She started in accounts payable and receivable in utility billing.

"It's just fun to work here; it's real pleasant. You get to know people from the city," said Benson.