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Tompkins County Administrator Takes Over Finance Role Amid Budget Crisis
• Tompkins County Administrator Korsah Akumfi will serve as interim Finance Director following the departure of Darrel Tuttle.
• Akumfi must present a proposed county budget on September 1st that is expected to require a 17% property tax levy increase.
• The leadership gap comes during a difficult budget season, forcing Akumfi to manage two high-level roles simultaneously.
• Darrel Tuttle served as Finance Director for just over a year before his resignation was accepted by the County Legislature.
Tompkins County Administrator Korsah Akumfi has been appointed to serve as the county’s interim Director of Finance, consolidating two critical leadership roles ahead of a challenging budget season. The Tompkins County Legislature approved the resolution Tuesday following the departure of Finance Director Darrel Tuttle, who announced his resignation in July.
The personnel shift places significant additional responsibility on Akumfi, who is scheduled to present the county’s proposed budget on September 1st. He has previously indicated that maintaining current service levels would necessitate a property tax levy increase of approximately 17%, setting the stage for contentious fiscal debates. Legislators acknowledged the increased workload with lighthearted remarks during the meeting, with Legislature Chair Shawa Black joking about Akumfi's acceptance of the dual role.
The transition timing sparked a brief, humorous exchange. Akumfi jokingly negotiated to officially assume the title on August 21st, rather than Tuttle’s last day of August 20th. "I'm okay with leaving him the powers as of the 20th," Tuttle replied, to which Akumfi smiled and said, "One more day." The legislature ultimately approved the temporary appointment, with Akumfi at the helm until a permanent finance director is secured.
This marks the latest in a series of changes in the county's financial leadership. Darrel Tuttle had held the director position for just over a year, having been promoted after the retirement of former Finance Director Lorrie Scarrott in June 2025. Prior to Tuttle's appointment, Deputy Director of Finance Andrew Braman served as interim director. The ongoing instability in the key financial office arrives as the county government prepares to navigate one of its most fiscally demanding periods in recent memory.