The Twin Lakes Village Board on Monday discussed and endorsed village administrator Jennifer Frederick hiring some as needed help for accounting and financial tasks.
Frederick has an individual in mind — her mother, Peg Pollitt.
Frederick explained she has chosen not to pursue having an accountant on the village staff, which the village previously did have. There is not enough financial work for a full-time person and the work there is fluctuates to the extent that even a part-time person is not feasible. Frederick also currently performs some financial tasks, such as payroll and banking, herself.
Instead Frederick proposed hiring someone that would be on call when necessary and she proposed her mother as the individual to fill the job.
Pollitt has over 20 years of private and 15 years of public accounting experience. She worked as the Lake Geneva comptroller for 9 years and the Fontana village treasurer for 6 years before that. She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has attended Wisconsin Municipal Clerk/Treasurer’s Institute. Through those local municipal work stints, she is familiar with the same accounting software Twin Lakes uses. Though retired, Pollitt has been doing accounting work for some non-profits groups.
Frederick estimates Pollitt might work about 30 hours a month under typical circumstances, but perhaps more while Frederick is out for an upcoming maternity leave. Frederick proposed paying Pollitt $25.53/hour, the same rate paid to the last staff accountant.
The village does not have a nepotism policy regarding hiring, but Frederick said she wanted to be extremely transparent about her relationship to Pollitt. The village’s auditor also saw no problem with the hire and in fact was familiar with Pollitt from her other nearby accounting work.
The hire does not require direct Village Board action due to its level, but some trustees said they approved of the move and no trustees voiced objections.
Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald suggested the board review the need for the position after Frederick’s maternity leave is complete.
