The St. Martinville City Council approved moving an accounting specialist up to the position of interim chief financial officer at Monday’s meeting. 

Katy Bujard, an accounting specialist who has worked with the city for five years, was approved for the position after lengthy discussions on the future of the position. 

Bujard’s possibly temporary position comes after former CFO Avis Gutekunst gave her two-weeks notice to City Hall recently, in what Mayor Jason Willis said was for another job opportunity. 

Willis said a CFO is a hard role to fill due to the specialty of knowledge required as well as the pay that the city can afford. Bujard agreed to step up to fill the position after being trained for the past few weeks by Gutekunst. 

“She was kind of scared but she stepped up,” Willis said. “She has a family and other jobs but is willing to give it a try until we find someone else or if she decides to apply for that job. In my opinion, she does a great job.”

Bujard said the position, which is a critical one for any city government, is workable even though she is also still maintaining her job duties in her former position as well. She added that Gutekunst as well as the auditors contracted with the city have also stepped in to help when needed as well. 

Although the pay raise for Bujard was slated for the same as Gutekunst received prior to resigning, a secondary motion was made to put the pay at the starting position for chief financial officer. 

Councilman Mike Fuselier, remarking on the large number of city employees who have left City Hall this year, said the issue may not just be one of pay. 

“We have to ask ourselves why we’re losing all these people,” Fuselier said. “I can promise you it’s not all for another job, as much as you may want to think that.”

“I can see what you’re insinuating and I’m not going to have it,” Willis responded. “The pay was the main reason, it was almost $30,000 more. If there’s some other reasons, so be it. When the next mayor comes there may be more people that leave. Until then, they have to deal with this mayor.”