City of Hoover CFO Tina Bolt to retire after 3 years in job
Tina Bolt, the city of Hoover’s chief financial officer and treasurer, on Monday night informed the Hoover City Council she plans to retire, effective Oct. 1.
Bolt, who took over as chief financial officer three years ago, said she has more than 26 years with the state retirement system and is pursuing some other opportunities now.
“It’s a surprise to some. It’s not a surprise to a lot,” Bolt said. “I’ve been thinking about this since last December.”
She kept delaying turning in her notice due to different projects on which she has been working, but now “it just lined up with my timeline and things I want to do.”
In a written statement, Bolt said she has enjoyed her time with the city of Hoover and is grateful for the opportunities she has had in her role.
She said she has been successful in completing the strategic plan that was formulated when she assumed the role of chief financial officer and treasurer, including:
- Implementing modern financial software
- Improving transparency in financial reporting
- Implementing best practices for financial processes
- Building reserves to unprecedented levels
- Streamlining financial processes for departments
- Merging multiple departments into a consolidated Finance Department
- Promoting the professional development and growth of the finance staff
- Implementing best practices for the budgeting process
- Restructuring debt and investing reserves to maximize the city’s cash position
- Establishing proper controls of the city’s operating budget
“I have been fortunate to work with the most dedicated and professional employees that I have known who do their best for the city of Hoover,” Bolt wrote. “I will always appreciate the opportunity to work with such first-rate employees.”
Bolt served as Hoover’s finance director for several months before former Chief Financial and Information Officer Melinda Lopez resigned in May 2020. She then served as acting chief financial and information officer for several months before being put into the chief financial officer role permanently in October 2020.
Bolt is a native of the small town of Dutton in Jackson County. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville State University, where she majored in accounting and minored in computer information systems.
She worked as an accountant and data analyst for Heil in Fort Payne and Goodyear in Scottsboro and then went to work for the Jackson County Board of Education as a business education teacher for 11 years, obtaining a master’s degree from Alabama A&M in business education along the way.
She spent three years as an instructional technology specialist for Jackson County schools, four years as a business education teacher for Scottsboro City Schools and nearly five years as chief financial officer for the Jackson County Board of Education before coming to Hoover City Schools as chief financial officer in 2016.
She resigned her position with Hoover City Schools in March 2019 and took the same job with Huntsville City Schools, but she stayed there just nine months before returning to the city of Hoover.
Bolt’s departure means turnover in two of the highest-ranking positions in Hoover’s city government.
Hoover’s former city administrator, Allan Rice, on June 21 announced his retirement after being placed on administrative leave for undisclosed reasons. Rice the day before made a Facebook post with a negative connotation regarding the leadership of the Hoover Police Department.
Several City Council members confirmed that the mayor within the month or so before that had taken oversight of the Hoover police and fire departments and emergency communications department away from Rice and began having those departments report directly to the mayor. See more about Rice’s departure here.
Hoover Council President John Lyda on Monday night said the council was sad to hear the news of her departure but happy for her.
“You’ve been an incredible asset not only to the city of Hoover, but Hoover City Schools, Huntsville City Schools, Jackson County Schools — I could go on and on,” Lyda said. “Your legacy in the state of Alabama and indeed in the city of Hoover will be felt for many years, and respect your decision, and we wish you all the best.”