It appears Addison Township’s treasurer will continue to be a regular fixture in the Oxford Village office for a while longer.

Last week, council voted 3-1 to extend the independent contractor agreement with Lori Fisher until Thursday, March 1, 2018. Councilman Erik Dolan was absent.

Included in the motion was direction for the new village manager, Joseph Madore, to bring recommendations to council regarding Fisher’s future relationship with the municipality “on or before” its Feb. 27 meeting.

Under the terms of the three-page agreement, Fisher, who has been working for the village since Aug. 28, is being paid $49.50 per hour (no fringe benefits) to perform the functions and duties of municipal treasurer, maintain the general ledger and handle payroll and accounting services. Her time is “not to exceed 20 hours per work week.”

According to Teich, Fisher has worked 228½ hours for a total of $11,311.

Fisher’s agreement was originally set to expire on Nov. 14, then council voted Nov. 7 to extend it to Dec. 15.

Interim Village Manager Evan Teich recommended extending Fisher’s agreement a second time.

Teich informed council via memo that “it would be appropriate” to give Madore, who started work Dec. 18, “some time to review Ms. Fisher’s agreement, her work product, (the) budget and to come before council . . . to discuss options.”

Some of those options, according to Teich, could include extending Fisher’s agreement as a consultant or hiring her as a village employee.

Councilwoman Maureen Helmuth voted against the extension because she’s opposed to the amount of money that’s being spent on Fisher’s services. “This is not reflection on the work that she does,” she explained.

Helmuth believes it’s time for the village to fill the clerk/treasurer position, which has been vacant since June when Susan Nassar retired.

Fisher is doing a number of things normally handled by the clerk/treasurer.

“We need to get someone in here full-time and get this pay under control because we are just throwing money after money after money (at the situation),” Helmuth said.

Fisher has served as Addison’s elected treasurer, a part-time position, since 2012. Her annual base salary in Addison is $35,248.