Presidents Message

LaTisha Paslay has been the City Administrator in Vandalia since 2017.  However, her municipal experience began in 2007 when she was hired as an Executive Assistant.  In April 2010, she began covering duties for City Administrator after their sudden departure.  This included preparing the annual budget, appropriation ordinance and annual tax levy.  By July 2011, she was also covering duties for Economic Development (which included being TIF and Enterprise Zone Administrators) and Tourism (planning community events).  While doing those duties, she was responsible for the annual budget, appropriation ordinance and annual tax levy. 

The City Clerk approached her in late 2016 about being a temporary Treasurer as the current one was leaving and no one else in the office wished to learn the duties.  Thence, began a 5-year term of City Treasurer in addition to all of her other duties.  In 2022, she passed on the Treasurer title to Danielle Caruso, also an IMTA member, but Paslay remains in the backup position currently and still wears the many other hats mentioned above.  Vandalia is the only municipality Paslay has worked for and she just celebrated 17 years.

LaTisha has been a member of IMTA since 2017.  She discovered IMTA while going through documents from previous treasurers and did a google search.  After researching, she approached the Mayor and they decided it would be a great group to gain the knowledge for a newbie.  Her She has been a Certified Illinois Municipal Treasurer (CIMT) since June, 2020 and is proud to serve on the Executive Board.

The Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association is a great organization that strives to provide its members with the necessary resources to become not just great Treasurers, but great leaders and fiscally responsible individuals.  Those resources provide treasurers and other municipal finance professionals with the necessary skills to complete the annual duties of the position like oversee audits, levy taxes, prepare budgets, invest cash and more.  Efficiently and effectively completing the responsibilities of a treasurer helps preserve taxpayer resources and also provides residents and businesses the fiscal transparency that is expected from local governments.  The IMTA encourages the development of the additional skills needed to identify projects within local governments that can be tackled and, when accomplished, can mean a difference to the residents and businesses within a community.

The members of IMTA work hard to provide useful and relevant information to its members on a continual basis.  During my term, while working to continue the success of IMTA, I will work to attract new members to join and learn from what we have to offer.  The years of experience within the existing membership is something that cannot be matched.  It is honestly what attracted me to the group after my first conference, the knowledge and comradery is absolutely crucial for new treasurers.   I will strive to attract members to become involved in committees and fill vacancies as they arise. 

If you are not a member of IMTA, please consider joining to benefit you and your municipality.  If you are already an IMTA member, but not yet on a committee, and want to learn more about how you can give back to the Association, please reach out to me or one of the other IMTA board members.  Your contribution to IMTA is greatly appreciated and helps inspire future generations of governmental financial leaders.

LaTisha Paslay, CIMT

IMTA President

City Administrator – City of Vandalia

Plaque Engravement: In Recognition of Outstanding Leadership and Dedicated Service. The Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association is Forever Grateful.