By Tom Fink
October 14, 2008 — Claremore City Council members gave their stamp of approval Monday night to a Pryor-based bookkeeping firm to temporarily oversee the city’s finance department.
Kolker & Kolker, Inc. was selected in a unanimous vote to serve while the city searches for a full-time finance director.
Last week, council members accepted the resignation of former finance director Serena Kauk, who cited personal reasons for leaving.
Father and son Ron and Jeff Kolker of Kolker & Kolker attended Monday’s special meeting.
“Among the municipalities we’ve worked with in the past have been Catoosa, Inola, Pryor, and Salina,” Ron Kolker told council members. “We’ve been through and are familiar with municipal, general obligation, and revenue bonds, and would be available to start later this week — at least 40-50 hours a week in the beginning, at least until we can have an assessment of things at the finance department.”
The Kolkers also said they had experience in aiding municipalities and offered their assistance to the city in its selection of a new director of finance.
