Long term Php developer and general web developer needed

I am, for the most part, a freelance developer and systems administrator. Technically we are a company, but I am the web guy. Our clients use (and continue to use) us because we are problem solvers.
If something needs done, it gets done, even if we have to figure it out on the fly. I have reached a point where I simply don't have time to handle all of the various tasks that come up on a day to day basis and I'm quickly falling behind.

I am looking for a RELIABLE developer to form a long-term working relationship with. If we hit it off, we may even decide to form a new agency together down the line. But right now, all I need is an experienced developer who can tackle random projects that comes in from day to day.
Some days are quiet and some days my Inbox explodes with petty little requests from clients that distract me from larger ongoing projects. As an example, here is what I've done today:

* Fixed a bug in the Prestashop Paypal module when coupled with older versions of Prestashop
* Installed a vBulletin plugin on 3.8.8
* Diagnosed a security concern on a large Coldfusion powered website
* Walked a junior developer through setting up an SSL certificate manually on his server as a favor to his boss.
* Compiled requirements for a Magento data importer and discussed with the third party building it for us.
* Fixed an issue with a Wordpress-->vBulletin comment bridging system
* Wrote a vBulletin plugin to disable IE compatibility mode in an extremely popular vBulletin addon.
* Helped a client troubleshoot a PHP script on their cluster of 12 web servers

None of the above was on my list of "have to do today" items. Because I spent all day discussing and dealing with the above, I didn't have time to work on the larger items on my plate and that is going to end up costing me money in the long run.

I am not looking for an elite coder. I'm not looking for a senior level systems administrator. I'm looking for a problem solver who has a decent background in web development, especially as it pertains to Wordpress and vBulletin, as we have some very large sites under our active management that need care on a day to day basis.


I also need someone who can represent my company professionally. Ideally, I'd like to give you a {you}@{us.com} email address for you to communicate with clients under our brand name directly so that I can step out of the middle. We could then either start utilizing a support ticket system or I could forward client requests to you as they come in.
As this is new territory for me, I'm definitely open to suggestion from my newfound partner.

I'm hoping to find someone who I can pay hourly on a weekly basis as a 1099 contractor. I cannot guarantee any set amount of hours, which I know sucks, but this is new territory for me. Hopefully at some point down the line it could transition into something better for both of us.


If you're interested, please get in touch with your experience, hourly rate, work samples, etc... And please feel free to showcase your personality. I can promise you that if you send me a message beginning with "Dear Sir", you're far too formal for me. Also, please note that I am NOT looking for agencies.
I am looking for ONE dude or chick to partner with here.

If you have any questions, please send me a message and I'll do my best to answer it.

I am only looking to work with someone who works within a few hours of 9-5 cst (gmt -6). This is an absolute requirement and is not negotiable. Because my customers are online from 9-5 cst gmt -6, my partner must also be available during these times.