NAHVI
The City of Marysville has begun its search for a new director of finance.
City Manager Terry Emery said Monday that finance director Justin Nahvi has accepted a similar position in the City of Delaware.
Emery said this is the risk when you hire quality people.
“It’s not a bad thing when you have people that get pursued by others,” Emery said. “It means you hired and have good people.”
Nahvi was hired in October of 2016. He came to the city from Franklin County. He also worked for the State of Ohio and Upper Arlington Library.
“He has helped us take our finances and elevate them,” Emery said.
In October, Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber was in Marysville to honor Nahvi.
Faber presented Nahvi with the Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction. Faber said only about 4% of entities receive the award each year.
Marysville has received it each of the last eight years.
Faber said Nahvi and the city’s finance team “produces the best of the best.”
Emery said he could not blame Nahvi for taking the new position, which comes with a pay increase.
“It is a good move for him. It is a nice opportunity,” Emery said.
According to the City, Delaware has a combined budget of $119.6 million with an annual operating budget is approximately $71 million.
Emery said he made the announcement to the city executive staff on Monday, even before Nahvi’s hiring was official.
“We want to start getting on finding a replacement, getting a jump start,” Emery said. “Hopefully we can maybe even get the right person in here and get (him or her) some time with Justin before he leaves.”
Emery said he believes Nahvi’s last day will be Jan. 17, 2020.
“He has done good things for us and we will go a long way to make sure we secure the right person to move our finance department forward.”
The city manager said his goal, “is to continue raising the bar.”
He added that while it will be difficult to find a replacement, “we have done pretty well hiring people for our executive staff.”
Nahvi will replace Delaware Director of Finance Dean Stelzer who announced his retirement in November. Stelzer led the city’s finance department since 1990.
According to the Ohio Treasurer’s Office, Stelzer made $117,792 in 2014, the last year with available data. Nahvi makes about $105,000 annually in Marysville.
Nahvi was unavailable for comment.