DUBOIS: Lisa Hagberg and Ben Kafferlin of Kafferlin Strategies, the interim management firm recently contracted to serve both the City of DuBois and Sandy Township, attended a joint consolidation board meeting Wednesday, marking an official start to their leadership roles for the two communities.

Hagberg, a partner in the Warren-based consulting firm, updated board members that she will serve as the operations interim manager for DuBois.

“I’m excited to join in all of the projects and the many things that you all have going on. I’m looking forward to working with all of you,” Hagberg told the board.

Meanwhile, Kafferlin, also a partner with the firm, explained that his work will emphasize support for the consolidation effort between DuBois and Sandy Township and ensuring productive engagement with the joint board.

“We (Hagberg and Kafferlin) will be interchangeable and so there will be times where I won’t be able to make it down in a particular week or that she won’t be able to make it down and we’ll wear the other person’s hat for a period of time,” Kafferlin said during the meeting.

The interim management team replaces longtime manager Shawn Arbaugh, who will step down from his role with DuBois and Sandy Township on Dec. 2. Arbaugh recently accepted a new position as business administrator for the Brookville Area School District.

During his remarks, Kafferlin praised Arbaugh’s efforts and accomplishments.

“I just want to say that we’ve been extremely impressed with the work that he’s done with all of the very many projects that are complex and interrelated, and how he’s been able to come up with some huge plans for the future,” Kafferlin said. “I just wanted at this last board meeting of yours to applaud you for a job well done.”

Both the Sandy Township Supervisors and the DuBois City Council approved Kafferlin Strategies’ proposal to provide interim management services during their respective meetings earlier this month. The contract calls for a fee of $27,500 per month for an expected 50–60 hours of work per week from the firm.

Expanded Scope — Beyond DuBois And Sandy Township

Kafferlin Strategies is a Warren, Pennsylvania-based consulting firm founded in 2013 that focuses on helping local governments improve operations, financial stability, strategic planning, and interim leadership. The company’s mission, according to its LinkedIn profile, is to assist municipalities in moving beyond crisis management toward proactive, long-term success through planning, management, and finance expertise.

Over the years, Kafferlin Strategies has worked with a number of Pennsylvania local governments, offering services such as strategic planning, fiscal analysis, operational reviews, and interim leadership. According to publicly available municipal documents, the firm has been selected by municipalities including Reynoldsville Borough, where Kafferlin Strategies was chosen in late 2024 to develop a Strategic Management Program Plan aimed at enhancing governance, financial practices, and intergovernmental cooperation.

That engagement followed other assignments in Pennsylvania townships, boroughs, counties, and small cities where the firm supported comprehensive planning and management improvements. Their work has included fiscal assessments, organizational reviews, development of long-term revenue and expenditure monitoring systems, and recommendations for adopting best practices to improve local government stability and performance.

Through such assignments, Kafferlin Strategies has built a portfolio of experience supporting local governments throughout the commonwealth — from strategic planning in rural towns to interim leadership during municipal consolidations such as the one currently underway between DuBois and Sandy Township.