Mayor Kruzan names interim city controller

Mayor Mark Kruzan appointed Susan Clark as the new city interim controller Friday, Jan. 23, because the term of the previous controller has ended. \nAs the interm city controller, she will help with some of the most important jobs in the city, such as preparing the city's annual budget.\nClark has served as budget and research manager since 1999 and has been a part of many budget plannings since then.\n"The city controller is one of the most important jobs," Kruzan said. "It is literally the office of the control of finances in Bloomington, every financial transaction that occurs is controlled through that office."\nClark is officially the interim city controller, which means she is not yet permanently the city controller. \n"This is an interim position," Kruzan said. "There is not a set term for office for this position, it's on a trial-run period, and we'll see how it works out and how Susan enjoys the job."\nClark's duties as the budget and research manager made her a logical choice for city controller, Kruzan said.\nDuties included the main responsibility for arranging Bloomington's annual budget in addition to assessing and developing recommendations on an assortment of fiscal and management programs, requests and policies of the city.\nClark expressed her confidence with her new position.\n"I've been with the city for six years," Clark said, "I am confident that I will be able to fairly easily make the transition to controller, mainly in part because I so completely understand the duties to the 'n'th degree." \nSome of Clark's new duties will include preparing different financial documents and submitting to the appropriate officials and agencies -- including the city's annual budget, monthly and annual finance statements, cash flow balances and administering department budget upon approval.\nClark's experience with preparing Bloomington's budget over the years made her a strong applicant for the position.\n"Her budget and research background for the last five years made her the perfect person for the job." Kruzan said.\nClark also asserted her confidence about the job she has done with preparing the city's annual budget. \n"As the budget manager, I was involved from the start to finish of the budget process, which takes about nine months to organize." Clark said.\nPenni Sims, communications director for the mayor, said Clark's understanding of the position makes her the best person for the job.\n"Susan has been an integral part of the controller's office for some time now, she's had her hand in several different budget years," Sims said. "She's a logical choice for this transitional change."\nClark also said she is confident, mainly due to the staff surrounding her.\n"I think that the comfort level is high because the staff here at the controller's office is very competent and things here run very smoothly," she said.\nClark's position of budget and research manager will not be filled immediately, the mayor said. \n"I do not plan to fill that, in case she does not like the interim position, she can have that job back."\nThe mayor also said later in the year, there will be an evaluation of Clark and an assessment of her position. A date has not yet been set.\nOverall, Kruzan said he is pleased with the appointment. In a statement he said, "I'd like to thank Susan Clark for taking on the responsibility of serving in this interim position," Kruzan said. "She has the knowledge, skills and abilities required to assume this very important role for the city and the community."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Jancek at lmjancek@indiana.edu.