Smithfield Council Rejects Proposal For $134,000 IT Director
SMITHFIELD, N.C. – A proposal to hire an Information Technology director was rejected by the Smithfield Town Council following concerns about the proposed pay and why the position had not been included in the budget adopted just three months earlier.
Interim Town Manager Kimberly Pickett asked the council Sept. 15 for permission to create an IT Director position.
The proposed salary range was $89,874 to $134,811, the same pay range used for department heads including the police chief, fire chief, finance director and public utilities director.
Pickett told council members she anticipated hiring an IT director at around $134,000, near the top of the range.
She said Smithfield is experiencing numerous technology problems but does not currently have anyone on staff capable of addressing many of them.
The town contracts with an outside company for IT services at a base cost of approximately $127,000 annually, according to Pickett. However, she said the town routinely incurs additional costs when it needs technical assistance outside the services covered by the contract. That contract is scheduled to expire in June 2027.
Pickett also told council members the town’s network infrastructure needs to be upgraded because of ongoing drops in internet service.
The proposed IT director would have been responsible for the town’s computer systems, networks, cybersecurity, telecommunications and other technology operations. The proposed job description provided by the interim manager also called for the director to oversee network reliability and security and troubleshoot hardware and software problems throughout town government.
Salary Draws Concern
Councilman Travis Scott questioned starting a newly created employee near the top of the salary range. Scott called the proposed salary a “bit excessive.”
He also noted that when the town’s current budget was adopted approximately three months ago, creation of an IT director position was not discussed.
Scott said bringing forward a new position at that salary level so soon after the budget was adopted was “concerning.”
Pickett said the town is currently interviewing candidates for an IT Specialist, a position already included in the 2026-27 budget. Rather than fill both jobs, Pickett proposed eliminating the IT Specialist position and replacing it with the higher-level IT Director position.
Pickett said the IT director position could be funded through elimination of the IT Specialist position and salary savings created while she simultaneously serves as assistant town manager and interim town manager. She estimated those savings at approximately $10,000 per month and said the proposed position could be fully funded by the end of October.
The budgeted IT Specialist position has a salary range of approximately $58,964 to $79,602.
Proposal Rejected 4-2
Scott made a motion to deny the request, seconded by Councilwoman Doris Wallace.
Scott, Wallace, Dr. Gettys Cohen and Councilman Steve Rabil voted to deny creation of the position.
Mayor Pro Tem Sloan Stevens and Councilman John Dunn voted against the motion to deny.
The motion passed 4-2, leaving the proposed IT Director position unapproved.
Even with the council’s denial of the IT Director position, Pickett can continue with the town’s previously budgeted plan to hire an IT Specialist.
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Finally the Smithfield town council shows that they have a little common sense but this also shows that the interim town manager might not be qualified for the job
She came from Benson, and now we understand the financial burden they are suffering. Creating a position for one of her friends, and starting them out with Top Pay, probably company car, credit card..etc..talk about the buddy buddy system. Shame on the Mayor Pro Tem for voting for this position
A 6 milliion dollar ball park that quicly turned into a 16 milliion dollar ball park was not in the budget either, But they voted THAT in. Why not vote in for this Director position?? Why not vote to give everyone a 37% raise this year? Why not vote in me a Director position with a starting salary of $120,000 a year, and it be a ” Work from home” position that tracks where tax payers money is being spent and credit card usage and personal use of county cars and gas. It all makes ABSOLUTELY the same amount of sense as a taxpayer funded $16 million dollar ball park thats going to cost the tax payers WAY WAYYYYY more than $16 million by the time its all said and done !!
As someone in IT, that pay is very low, that is more an experienced engineer level of pay. The whole IT contract is also very low at 127k a year. I would need more details of the exact current nature of IT set up, but realistically they probably need to double spending in both areas.