Cleveland Heights held a confirmation hearing on Jan. 15 for Rodney Hairston, the mayor’s nominee for finance director, during which council members pressed him on audits, internal controls, staffing and reporting formats before the council voted unanimously to enter executive session to consider the appointment.

Mayor (not specified) introduced Hairston as the city’s candidate for finance director and described him as “probably the most well prepared candidate I’ve interviewed,” citing his municipal and nonprofit finance experience. Hairston told council members he has more than a decade in government finance, has prepared annual budgets and Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs) and said he looks forward to improving timely financial reporting for council.

The hearing came as council awaits the state audit of the city’s 2023 financial statements and following concerns about delayed quarterly financial postings. Several council members urged the candidate to prioritize timely, clear financial reports, stronger internal controls and better communication with the council.

Hairston summarized his background, saying he holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron and a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management and described experience at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and St. Martin de Porres High School. He said he prepared multiple CAFRs at the airport and led budgets covering many operating units.

On certification, Hairston told Councilman Morrison, “That is correct. I am not a CPA.” He said he has pursued courses and conferences but does not hold a CPA license and that many municipal finance director job postings do not require a CPA. The mayor’s office noted a survey of nearby municipalities showed about 10 of 47 cities in their sample had CPAs as finance directors.

Council members questioned Hairston about his audit experience, familiarity with Ohio statutory requirements and internal controls. Responding to Councilman McCobb, Hairston said, “We were audited by the state on an annual basis. So I went through eight years of audits, through the state.” When asked later about audit results, he answered, “Results were all good.”

Vice President Russell asked about an item on Hairston’s application describing operating and revenue figures at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Hairston said the board’s operating budget had been $155,000,000 and revenue $139,000,000 in a given year and that reserves would cover any shortfall.

Council members pressed Hairston on operational matters the finance office handles: software experience (he listed SAP, Oracle, Oracle Cloud, QuickBooks and the Advantage system used in the City of Cleveland; he said he had not used Cleveland Heights’ New World system), payroll processors (he has overseen payroll but not ADP specifically), and whether he had led human resources (he said he had not led an HR department). The mayor’s office and City Administrator Horrigan were noted as participants in vetting the candidate.

Several council members said they wanted improved presentation and format for budget materials. Hairston said he would prioritize “good timely financial reporting,” and recommended variance explanations and presentations so council members could see both positive and negative trends. He also said he would review vendor payment practices, accounts payable ledgers and controls if confirmed.

After questions and brief discussion, a councilmember moved that the council go into executive session “to consider the appointment of a public official.” The motion was seconded and the roll call vote recorded seven ayes (Maddox, Posh, Russell, Kuda, Cobb, Larson, Petrus). The council recessed to executive session; when it reconvened the meeting was adjourned without a public confirmation vote on the record.

The council and mayor will determine next public steps; Hairston said he would review staff roles and report priorities if confirmed, including meeting statutory deadlines for the annual audit, CAFR and budget.