Jasper mayor Billy SimpsonJASPER, Tenn. — The Jasper Board of Mayor and Aldermen has hired a certified municipal finance officer and passed this year’s budget with raises for city employees on first reading.
At the board’s August meeting, Mayor Billy Simpson recommended Mark Johnson for the finance officer position, and he was approved by a 4-0 vote.
“This is something I’ve been working on for roughly four months,” Simpson said. “He’s coming into our area and comes highly recommended from [the Municipal Technical Advisory Service]. This is something that we have no control over. It’s mandated by the state, and it has to be in place by Jan. 1.”
Johnson, formerly the chief financial officer and office manager for the Town of Signal Mountain, has a two-year state certification to do the job, Simpson said.
Alderman Paul Evans, who abstained from voting to hire Johnson, said he thought current city employees were being trained and certified for the job, as neighboring municipalities have done over the past two years.