Search committee recommends Cameron Butler for Gardner City auditor after interviews

The Special Honor Search Committee voted to recommend Cameron Butler to the full Gardner City Council for election as Gardner City auditor on Feb. 17, 2026. The committee voted in favor of the recommendation at the meeting after reviewing interviews with multiple applicants.

The recommendation follows interviews the committee conducted with candidates for the elected municipal auditor post. During the meeting, candidate Beth Murphy described years of nonprofit accounting and finance work, experience developing budgets and reconciling actuals, and familiarity with several accounting systems. "I like working as a team and I like mentoring people," Murphy said when asked about supervising staff. She also said she has used Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, QuickBooks and legacy fund-accounting systems and is proficient in Excel.

Why it matters: The city auditor is an elected municipal officer who reviews budgets, ensures financial controls and verifies that payments and payroll follow legal and accounting requirements. The committee told the candidate the auditor position works under the council president’s direction and the finance committee’s oversight and that the auditor handles responsibilities across departments.

Murphy told the panel she would check accounts payable requests against budgets, look for proper backup documentation and confirm appropriate signatures before submitting warrants for payment. She said she would consult outside auditors and professional groups to keep up with changes to auditing standards. Murphy asked whether a certified government management accounting credential was required; committee members said it is not a strict requirement and pointed to a professional development line in the budget to support training.

The committee discussed the city’s recent growth, noting a new elementary school, a college presence and other community assets. At one point in the discussion a committee member referenced the city budget and an unclear figure in the record; the meeting transcript did not provide a clear, auditable dollar amount for the total city budget.

After the interviews the committee reviewed candidates by resume number and called for a vote. The committee recorded five votes in favor of recommending "CA version 2 applicant 1," identified in the meeting record as Cameron Butler; the motion carried. The committee said it will forward that recommendation to the council president with the expectation of placing the item on the full council agenda for the Feb. 17, 2026 meeting.

The committee also handled remaining procedural business, moved to nominate Councilor Durnell to approve minutes, approved that motion, and then voted to adjourn.

What’s next: The full Gardner City Council is expected to consider the committee’s recommendation and hold an election for city auditor at its Feb. 17, 2026 meeting.