After its most recent external hire didn’t pan out, the City of Delaware has turned to an internal candidate in Rob Alger to serve as its next finance director.

The city announced Alger’s appointment to the position by City Manager Tom Homan in a press release on Friday after the position sat vacant for three months.

Alger replaces Dawn Bennett, who was hired by the city last August to replace Justin Nahvi before having her employment terminated the following month. The city cited job performance and “a lack of responsiveness to and communication with staff” as reasons for Bennett’s sudden termination.

“It’s an honor to be appointed director,” Alger said. “I look forward to supporting City Council and working with our talented city leadership to ensure that Delaware continues to exercise strong fiscal responsibility.”

Alger will bring considerable experience with the city’s finances to the position, which is slated to pay him $130,000 annually. After graduating from Franklin University and previously working for the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, Alger began his time with the city in 2001 as an accountant. Most recently, he was promoted to the deputy director of finance position last January.

Twice, Alger has been called upon to serve as the acting director of the department, giving him a level of familiarity with the role and all it entails.

“Rob’s experience and knowledge of city operations will be instrumental in helping ensure our finances remain stable and secure,” Homan said in a release announcing the hire.

As the city’s chief accountant, Alger collected and tracked the city’s finances while overseeing financial audits and ensuring accurate financial records. During his tenure, the city’s annual comprehensive financial report was honored for 19 consecutive years by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) with an Award for Excellence.

According to the city, Alger has played an important role in Delaware receiving the GFOA “triple crown,” which includes earning awards for its annual comprehensive financial report, popular annual financial report, and operating budget.