Local officials are getting ready to put out a help wanted sign.

The Blair County Salary Board voted this week to hire a new Finance Director. The employee’s main duty would be preparing and monitoring the county budget. The ideal candidate would be a certified accountant with a background in government accounting or auditing.

“We’re looking for things for a finance director who can help us do some more innovative things in terms of finding ways to better be more efficient to cost cut better to do things that will give the taxpayer more value,” Blair County Commissioner Bruce Erb said.

Erb says a new starting salary of $50,000 to $60,000 was approved to reflect the expanded responsibilities of the position.