NEWMAN - A new finance director is on board at Newman City Hall.

Lewis Humphries joined the city staff in mid-June, coming to Newman after working in municipal finance for the city of Patterson for two years.

Humphries was previously employed as an assistant controller for a development/construction company.

In his role as finance director, Humphries is responsible for oversight of public dollars - from budgeting to projections to helping track grant funds.

With California mired in an economic crisis that is reverberating through public agencies from the local level all the way up to Sacramento, being as prudent as possible with available funding is more important than ever.

Humphries said he is working closely with department heads to monitor spending and to be as efficient as possible.

“(As finance director), you are trying to help everybody make adjustments to the funding that we have,” he explained. “I have to make sure that we are living within our budget. When times are tight, communication between the department heads becomes even more important.”

Humphries said the city will continue to seek out grant funds and other resources which allows the completion of projects that the city’s regular budget wouldn’t cover.

“If we can get outside money, it helps us improve the quality of life here,” he commented.

In addition to working closely with City Manager Michael Holland and city department heads, Humphries will keep the City Council apprised of the city’s financial state.

In recognition of the budget challenges facing local government, the council will conduct quarterly budget reviews to more closely monitor municipal finances.

It is imperative that the council be provided accurate, complete budget information, he stressed.

“An accurate portrayal of what is happening is always key,” Humphries explained.

Looking into the future is still another important aspect of his job.

“There is a lot of forecasting,” he said. “You have to make sure that you are looking ahead, and that the path we are on is one we can go down.”

Humprhies succeeds Bruce Budman, who served as finance director on an interim basis following the resignation of former finance director Sonya Silva in October of last year.

“He is going to be a great long-term addition to our team,” City Manager Michael Holland said. “He comes highly recommended and has been in both the public and private side, which helps him understand the challenges that business and government face.”