Blame needs to be shared in Burleigh

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Burleigh County Finance Director Robin Grenz was forced out of office last week following an employee performance review. The commission might have had cause for asking her to resign or be fired, though it might bear some responsibility for the situation.

Grenz made a mistake in tax collections for the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library that resulted in the county not paying its fair share for the library. A state audit found errors in how the county handled federal coronavirus aid. The county spent about $976,000 of the federal funds. Errors discovered included using money to cover expenses incurred before the period in which the funds could be applied, and lacking adequate supporting documentation.

And apparently there were concerns with her work other than the audit findings and the library mistake. Grenz’s termination notice discusses her being “absent an inordinate amount of time” and being “dismissive” to county officials with questions.

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Its an unusual situation since there didn’t seem to be any rancor associated with the commissions decision. Commissioner Brian Bitner told the Tribune he would have no problem serving as a reference for her in applications for a new opportunity. He said Grenz provided good service to the county.

But Bitner said it was the unanimous consensus of the commission that Grenz wasnt up to the tasks involved in her job. Grenz isnt a certified public accountant, and Bitner said the county needs one to put in place procedures for whats considered unclear federal guidance for use of coronavirus aid.

The state auditors office found problems similar to Burleighs with how other counties handled the coronavirus aid. So Grenzs errors may not have been unusual or surprising.

Grenz had been finance director for about three years. Commissioners knew she wasnt a certified public accountant, which now some think they need.

Grenz is responsible for her performance. But the situation raises questions of why the commission didn’t hire a CPA to begin with and whether the commission gave Grenz enough support over the years. She received a positive review in 2020 but there’s no documentation of a written review since then.

There are some who believe the county needs to hire a full-time administrator. The commissioners dont serve full time and have other jobs and responsibilities.

The commission should explore that, but it wouldn’t be a quick decision. What the group can do now is make sure its providing the support that other county staff need.

It would be unfortunate if someone else gets placed in a situation similar to the finance directors. That must be avoided.

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