Providing city services with the available funds is a challenge for Tim Wood.
Wood, Keizer’s finance director, notes that Keizer had a low tax rate when it incorporated, and he said that Ballot Measure 5, which limited property tax rates in 1990, was little help.
“Now the city is looking for full services other cities have,” he said. “There’s a lot we’re doing on the property tax side, but we need state help. We have been looking at adding more and more fees to add new services. We’ve continued to push the envelope. We’ll have to get creative more and more efficiently.”
Asked how the city is working on this, he said automation is one answer, especially with on-line bill paying for utility accounts.
“This is the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve had nearly full staffing,” he added.
Wood, who assumed his position in 2016, is also the assistant city manager. This means not only that he runs city business when City Manager Adam Brown is away, but also that he takes on occasional projects that Brown assigns.
“I’m just a go-to person,” he said.
Wood has worked for the city since 2009, starting as assistant controller. He was involved in finance, especially accounting, for GI Joe’s and before that for Nautilus.
He grew up in McMinnville, went to Oregon State University, and had jobs in Eugene and Salem before settling in Keizer in 2006.
Besides providing regular financial information and recommendations to the City Council and city manager, Wood’s department invests funds, coordinates budget preparation and administration, and manages the Utility Billing Division and Municipal Court Office.