"Semi-managed" Server Versus Geek-on-retainer

I'm a (mostly SQL and Java) programmer by trade, I have an MSc. in Computer Engineering, and for almost 8 years I have done web and database programming on the side. I have a site (www.the-athenaeum.org) that has had its ups and downs. Sometimes I find lots of time to work on it, other times life intrudes and I neglect it. It gets a few hundred thousand hits and maybe 30,000 unique visitors per month (or so).

Long ago, I decided (for reasons of security and some idea of the nobility of open source) to go with FreeBSD/PostgreSQL. I went from crappy no-name hosting to CanHost to LayeredTech, teaching myself the OS and db from scratch in little scraps of free time. In general I have always gone the cheap route by necessity. I'm determined to keep my site nonprofit, so I've never had banner ads or Google ads. Over time as I made more $ in my "real job" I could afford slightly better servers.

These days I could probably spare $200 per month out of my own pocket to subsidize my hobby. We have a new partner who may provide another $200 per month or so.

I have come to a point where my lack of knowledge is probably holding us back. It's a one-man operation from a web/db-programming standpoint, and I am finding myself using too much time on anti-hacker and server-optimization activities. The server runs slowly. People keep spamming my PunBB install. I am trying to keep the server up and responsive instead of adding new features and finding new users. My cheapness is biting me in the butt. I think if the server ran smoothly when people came, and if I could spend my time adding the cool features I dream of, we would double or triple our user base pretty easily.

I suppose you could sum up my operation by saying that I have a web site that "does cool stuff ... slowly."

I figure I have two possible routes:

1. Pay for a "semi-managed" server or a managed server: By this I mean having someone set up the OS to be very solid, someone who can look into why the server is so sluggish and fix it. Someone who can give me an SLA that deals with spamming/hacking. I don't care about admin. panels and the like, but I do need a solid, fast server, or at least one that performs up to its basic potential.

2. Have a "geek on retainer": Instead of that, pay for targeted services. Pay a FreeBSD guy to do the initial server setup. Pay an Apache/PostgreSQL guru(s) to get the basic infrastructure in place. Pay a PunBB mod developer to harden the forums. Bring them back in when specific problems come up.

I've learned a lot over the last few years, but I will never become the expert that is needed to fully grok the sys. admin. tasks.

Which route would you recommend, or is there a better way? How do I price out these services?