Immediately after two many years with the town of Derby, Director of Finance Jean Epperson is now counting down the days to her ultimate spending budget workshop – set to officially enter retirement in mid-June.
Epperson joined metropolis personnel in January 2000 right after quite a few several years doing the job in the non-public sector (Rohm and Haas, J.I. Scenario) and being an adjunct finance professor for regional universities. She admitted the limited-knit mother nature of the division bought her.
“I could’ve gone to work for what was Boeing at the time, but it is these a big enterprise. What I like about the measurement of Derby was you take a project from start off to end and I really take pleasure in the men and women I perform with it is my do the job spouse and children,” Epperson reported. “There’s a group atmosphere in this article and you mature to seriously treatment about these persons.”
Prior to Derby, Epperson worked for the town of Wichita and her first job right after earning her degree from Kansas State College was as City Clerk/Finance Director in Atchison, where by she achieved her partner. They afterwards moved to the Wichita space so Epperson could complete her Masters of Small business Administration at Wichita Point out University.
The Bennington native admitted it was a professor at Kansas Condition that aided forge that vocation route she has followed.
“We experienced a excellent professor who designed finance fun, which not really a lot of folks think of finance as becoming exciting. That lit the fire,” Epperson stated.
Among the accomplishments Epperson has obtained in her time as Derby Director of Finance is upgrading the city’s bond ranking to AA, with city management noting her audio fiscal management and plan methods depart Derby in exceptional economic form.
Respecting the really hard perform of her fellow metropolis personnel, Epperson stated they all are fully commited to observing their assignments by means of. For her that usually means earning absolutely sure the town is insured, it has its property invested, is not being qualified for fraud, and many others., so that nothing lousy happens on her check out. Most importantly, probably, she mentioned any budgetary ballot concerns are taken significantly to honor the financing requests voted upon by Derby citizens and assure suitable funding methods.
“I’ve always viewed my role as a protector of the community belongings that’s portion of what finance does,” Epperson stated. “You test to be good stewards of the community cash for the reason that people have entrusted you with it, and at the time you crack that have faith in it is extremely tough to achieve that belief again.”
Moving into retirement, Epperson stated she designs to commit a lot more time in her backyard garden, at the Derby Recreation Centre and expects her new status will lead to much more volunteer operate with her church.
About the many years, Epperson claimed she has been very pleased to see the transformation of Derby and the city’s financial investment in community infrastructure mirrored in amenities like Metropolis Hall, the library, Warren Riverview Park and much more. She stated she will pass up the persons most on leaving, supplied the commitment to the community, but she feels self-assured in her work as perfectly as the capabilities of individuals remaining in charge – like Megan Sneller, a recent metropolis finance staff established to take in excess of Epperson’s position.
“What I want to do is leave her in the greatest feasible position and know Derby’s a vibrant, escalating town and we want to do the ideal we can with what we have been entrusted. There are some difficulties down the road as the spending plan law variations. We really don’t know what the potential holds for inflation. My hope is that we’re positioned as greatest as we can ideal now and we can meet up with those people troubles,” Epperson reported. “I’m glad there’s someone coming up driving me that can arrive in with a new established of eyes, and she’s bought that perspective.”
“Jean is one particular-of-a sort and will be tremendously skipped,” reported Town Manager Kiel Mangus. “We have valued not only her expertise and skills, but also her welcoming, client demeanor. She has been a great asset to the Derby neighborhood and I’m happy for her and desire nothing but the best as she commences the subsequent chapter of her lifestyle.”