Richmond Heights Finance Director Jim Teknipp announces retirement

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Finance Director Jim Teknipp introduced during Tuesday’ s (Nov. 23) City Council assembly that he will be leaving his place just after 5 a long time on the career and retiring from his lifetime of community company.

Teknipp, 63, took around as Richmond Heights finance director as a time of fiscal turmoil was about to come to an end. He was employed about 1 month following the city’s voters handed a ballot situation that lowered the 100 percent profits tax credit history appreciated by citizens who worked outdoors of Richmond Heights.

The reduction, from 2.25 p.c to 1.25 percent, elevated an supplemental $1 million on a yearly basis and helped the city meet its money obligations.

Without having passage, the town was facing a deficit of $750,000 to $1 million. Passage arrived three and a 50 percent years right after voters permitted a .25 per cent earnings tax enhance, which had to begin with helped the city escape money challenges.

On the lookout again to when he was selected from between 100 applicants for the position, Teknipp reported, “When I was employed, voters had just handed the reduction in the cash flow tax credit history, so I actually have to thank the voters, since that aided get the ball rolling and bought us again on a good money track.”

Teknipp took in excess of from Mitchell Michalec, who experienced resigned in spring 2016. Filling in as interim finance director ahead of Teknipp’s selecting was Tom DiLellio.

For the duration of Tuesday’s meeting, council passed laws that will yet again make DiLellio interim director, powerful Nov. 27. DiLellio has been serving the past 5 several years as assistant finance director.

DiLellio will provide as interim director throughout a crucial time period, as finances pertaining to the Belle Oaks Marketplace progress at the outdated Richmond Town Sq. mall web site proceed to evolve. In addition, Ward 1 Councilwoman Kim Thomas will grow to be mayor in January and will be seeking for a new finance director, in addition to filling the vacant recreation director position.

“It’s been an honor to be component of the Town of Richmond Heights administration,” Teknipp advised council, “and above the final 5 many years in serving, specially, the constituents of the town of Richmond Heights, and encouraging council with the requirements they’ve experienced. It is been a pleasure.”

Teknipp explained he believes the council and administration have labored well with each other and that, in the final five years, “we’ve appear a long way.”

“This is a metropolis with a upcoming glance, and I’m seeking ahead to seeing this long run continue the way it is been going together,” Teknipp reported to council. “I would like all people luck.

“I just experience soon after 36 decades of carrying out this, the time is ideal suitable now (to retire). I have been serving men and women in various neighborhood governments, and now is the time.

“I glance ahead to hearing superior factors about Richmond Heights,” he claimed.

A accredited fiscal planner, Teknipp has served as economic director for Willowick, Willoughby Hills and Bedford. He has also served time as payroll and added benefits coordinator for the Metropolis of Wickliffe. He worked for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library for 8 many years as fiscal officer and business enterprise supervisor, and for two a long time with the non-gain Fairhill Partners.

Teknipp commenced his career of general public support at age 27 as a councilman in the village of Lakeline. He programs to shell out component of his retirement carrying out work for charity businesses.

“I’ve been doing this for 40 yrs,” Regulation Director Todd Hunt stated, “and I have interfaced and labored with a lot of finance directors, but Jim has been just one of the best I’ve worked with around my job, and he’s been instrumental in encouraging (Richmond Heights) get exactly where we’re at now financially.”

Also from Tuesday’s council assembly

— Following the conference, Thomas mentioned she strategies to be sworn in as mayor Jan. 11 at a venue that is much larger than the Metropolis Council chambers. She said she will announce the Richmond Heights location before long, and invitations citizens to go to.

— Police Chief Thomas Wetzel would like inhabitants to know that the RHPD will conduct its next yearly Rolling Christmas Carol from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 28. Residents should really be on the lookout as adorned law enforcement cruisers tour the city’s neighborhoods whilst sounding Xmas carols.

— Hunt reported that Belle Oaks Marketplace builders DealPoint Merrill very last 7 days closed on the invest in of the previous BP gasoline station site, located on the northeast corner of Richmond and Wilson Mills roadways. Hunt said the order will turn out to be portion of the Belle Oaks website, while there at this time are no programs to construct something there. The gasoline station has been demolished and the internet site is cleared.

“I believe element of it (the reason for the invest in) was to management it so anyone couldn’t set some thing there, these kinds of as a gasoline station,” Hunt claimed.

— Council made the decision to transfer its scheduled Dec. 28 assembly to a pre-Xmas date of Dec. 21. Council will future get alongside one another Dec. 7 for an Audit Committee meeting at 6:45 p.m., a Preparing & Zoning Committee assembly at 7:30 p.m. and a Provider & Recreation Committee conference at 8:30 p.m.

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