County Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Okay, we're live.

Okay, we'll reconvene here. Um, let's go to the prosecutor. We we'll go to the health department when Bill W gets back. We're going to the prosecutor next. Bob. So questions about the full-time deputy Now we added them to uh health insurance in that last this year, didn't we?

Correct. And there's considerable jump for the full-time deputy there.

That's not statutory or anything where it has to be 80% of Okay. Which which line item were you talking about? Um it is Oh, the 11272. Yeah, correct. Um that Let me think about that because I know that it was reflecting a transfer that they did because they had didn't have what I know, but it really wasn't. It was more I'm trying to get to my current. Is this Is this position filled at all?

I'm looking. Um, okay. So, they just now are like August 22nd was the first payroll that would have come out of this account because they just now got the full-time person hired. So, originally it was $83,000 appropriated, but since they didn't have a full-time person in there the entire time, they had transferred um let's see, four 49,000 uh to other service fees so that they could pay for that new software thing that he came the axon. Yeah. So there really wasn't an increase but I had shown the transfers and maybe I shouldn't have but I did.

Now filled yes but last year they really requested and it was approved for 83,000. Yeah. So, is that something that we can cut because it doesn't need to be in there or we do need to leave it in there? The transfer where we should be concluded. No, that position is now filled. It's filled now. It's filled now. But that's the reason

they had approved 83. We transferred 50,000 or something because he didn't have it filled. So, we had an opportunity to make a move on. Correct. Some technology things. Remember things? Oh, he just pulled it. Used it. It was the Axon like to download like videos and all that stuff. So, this number is not reflective of what was budgeted last year was but what was left in the budget after the transfer. Yeah, because I had entered the transfers and I probably shouldn't. Those are 112.

So they're only they're paying 52,000 estate the the new hire documents from prosecutor office their salary is 52,000

I was looking correct compared to some of the others I don't want to say anything well the others say deputy prosecuting deputy deputy this is chief deputy. So is their position. No, it's a line above chief deputy. Yes, I see. Yes. So, I'm correct. Yes, but we can't cut that difference. I will have to see if I can ask him. I don't know between 52 and 83. say that position

just now. Yeah. Why was they I'm sorry. So you're saying that it should not be 83. It's really 52 is their salary. But they requested 83 last year and this year because they were having difficulty getting somebody to even apply for the position before we gave them benefits. and even after. But yeah, and um had been open since December of 2023 because they couldn't get anybody couldn't get anybody to fill it.

I have no idea. I don't I don't remember. Yeah, Neil spoke about it. pass the bar.

I'm gonna see if I can ask him. That's That's exactly what happened with the current chief deputy. He was brought in right after graduating as an intern and stayed on through I don't know, six, seven years now. which I do know that um

it has been and who knows what's going to happen next year, but it's going to be talked about at the legislature again. The prosecutor's council is has already put out a recommended salary for deputies, which is much higher than what we're paying. But they're also proposing a program just like the public defender where we would receive a percentage back from the state for that office. that's failed in two different sessions now, but it will get brought up again. Probably will not pass in 26, but it hopefully will pass in 27. And the only reason it won't pass in 26 is because they won't break the budget for that. That'll have to wait till the next budget session. Anybody else have any questions on the prosecutor? Everybody good? Amy, you good?

Okay, I will see if I get an answer from anybody.

Yeah. Okay, let's look at the public defender next. And what this doesn't reflect is we are part of the uh reimbursement uh trial for misdemeanor. So, we'll be getting at least 40% of the misdemeanor expenses back, which probably is only the probably only the attorneys because I imagine they've already been paying the the portion the rent and all these other supplies probably pretty much been getting that Any further discussion on the public defender? Really the big change is the cloud storage for contractual services. which is also the axon

the reduction cost. Yeah. Right. Any further discussion on this one? Okay, let's move on to the sheriff. Is there just one part-time person in that spot right there or you know?

Um well, not necessarily. I mean, it's there's multiple different um job What I want to say names what? Okay. Paid out of that same account. Um, let me see. Okay. I just don't Nope, it's fine. I just wanted to I was like, "Wow, that's a lot of money for a one part time." No, they pay multiple things out of there. I need to know. Thank you.

They have like sheriff jail part-time officer, sheriff jail part-time nonofficer, um, evidence officer part-time. Like those are just a couple that are on you're and alto together that that 57 covers all of them. So for instance, the last payroll that we did, there is a part-time deputy, the animal control officer, um just part it just says part-time and then a part-time chap.

In this year's budget, where are we taking the majority of the pension? in 25. Um, give me one second.

Yes. So that 695 will come out of this move to public safety lit for 26. That was my one of my cuts that I suggested. So yeah, I have that coming out. So that there's that much money from but again that is already figured in my stuff. Okay. Already calculated.

Yep. I will say the at the jail and I've been trying to monitor this because of another issue that or multiple counties are having the same issue. Uh my last note from the sheriff, state of Indiana still owes us as of today 177,000 in um our boarding prisoners that they haven't taken to DOC yet. So that was that did come down from 180 some thousand. But every single county in the state's going through the same thing. And they were we were promised in the Ways and Means Committee hearing in the last legislature that that money would get paid and it's still hanging out there.

Do you have that in writing? No, but I've got it on video. Okay, that's good.

Well, and the question is, you know, it's understandable. Well, I mean, they can't take a prisoner until there's a spot in one of the prisons for them, but there nobody knows how do they decide who goes, who do they pick up and take to the prison? Is it who's ever been in the jail the longest? Is it who's ever closest to the prison they're going to? Uh, is it um is it whoever is the favorite, you know, whoever screams the loudest that you owe us a lot of money?

I mean, no, nobody nobody knows what the standard is to get them out of the jail and move to the prisons. So, and this rate did go up this year from 35,000 to 40 $35 a day to 40 something. I don't remember what that actual number was, but uh the daily rate that we're supposedly being paid, even though I think calculated the sheriff's association, I think calculated the average daily rate should be somewhere in the $80 range 40. You know, one one thing that amazes me a short beds in prison where all the cops are being forced to build a new one. But yet you can find 3,000 empty beds at down at Peru for ICE,500 here and 2,000 here and this and this and this. And here's all these empty beds that pop up. But yet we're being forced to build new.

Yeah. I mean, and You know, now the the untried people have always been the larger number of people in our jail, but we still have an average of about 30 to 35 36 in there every day that are convicted. Now, not all of them are going to be transferred out somewhere else, but there's still, you know, those are the ones we really need to take care of,

but we also need to know those that aren't aren't convicted. I think we owe a special concern to because they they have not been convict they've been arrested, they've just not been convicted of things. And we're going against, you know, cashless bail now, which I agree with.

But that's going to more people in there longer. Any questions on this? Anybody else have any questions on the sheriff? Not trying to rush you along, so take your time. The Butler PD contract pay is is does Butler not pay county for them those guys being up there? I know.

Yeah. Yeah. Butler pays us, but we have to be able to pay it to our deputies. So, that's why there's a line item in the sheriff's budget so that we can pay it out. But, yes, they do pay us. Well, some of them might not be open anymore when they submitted it. And I updated a few because some people like moved around positions but they could be filled now and I didn't update it.

Okay. Um as far as I as far as I'm aware one of the um office or administrative assistant, one of the office ladies um has taken on the money part of it. I'm not sure how they who deals with the commissary like handing the stuff out, but that has been empty since the end of June. said that he said there's three open road spots they're doing right now and one open jail spot regarding the medical um and they're at the bottom of that second page 22490. An increase there. And then when you flip the page over, a little bit of an increase there. Can we just Can you just help me separate? Looks like they're all medical medical supplies differences there. And what was the increase for? Okay. So on the This is why I probably shouldn't have adjusted for transfers. Um, so on the 22490, the institutional medical supplies, that would be the contract with the

Oh, it did increase. I'm sorry. So, the 27,000 is correct for this year. It did increase because um the quality correctional care contract which is the um medical providers that come in they are now paying for inmate medicine. So that is included in our price now instead of us paying it separately. So that's why that increase there. And then what was then the next one? You turn the page over then. Okay. And it's 32800. The medical fees that also went up.

Is that that's also part of the QCC? Um yeah, the nurses and doctor. So that's the that account starts with the three. So that is where we're paying for them to do us a service. The other part is when we need to pay for supplies that they require or need or use. So, are you Rick, are you saying that that those are just two people? Oh, no. Oh, no. That's a whole raft of people. Okay.

That company serves probably the majority of the jails in this area. They're and they now have more control over medicine being distributed. So it's not just a daily. It's they're doing the they're doing the on-site stuff. Yeah. As opposed to people that get hauled out to ER. Yeah. Absolutely.

And quite honestly, this is a better deal for us. This we we took on this contract a number of years ago because we used to have a local doctor that did this and it was extremely expensive the amount of time and stuff. This these guys are I don't want to say they don't short anybody but they're better attuned to the population that they're serving and what the others were. Sure. So, for sure. So, their meds are being regulated better probably. Well, definitely with the way it's being distributed now.

Well, and that's the other thing we're paying if there, you know, I don't know what we were paying for the medicines before, quite honestly, but you have a whole raft of of medication types that you could be giving in there uh for a lot of different chronic diseases, then it gets better expensive. Okay, that makes sense. The school pays some of it, but we we still pay all of it from the county budget.

Yeah. So, you're going to see the full amount in his budget because we have to pay it. You know what that percentage is? Um, I can tell you rough number. Just a second. I know we've said it before. I just don't have it locked in my memory.

I don't either. That's why I got to load. So Garrett Kaiser Butler um I'm trying to think if this is half in July they paid 60,500 because they're able to pay it in two installments. I think that was a second half and then um I'm sorry March the Decal Central paid the second half of their 2425 school and that was 68472. So they pay that twice a year.

Is your mic on? So are they you're saying they're paying that amount twice a year that's covering salary resources benefits and then they also pay a little bit more. They um for some of it like $1,000 goes into um for the K9 for the dogs and then um some of it goes into the school resource officer fund which they use

for anything that those officers might need or things to do with their vehicles or things like that. I'm glad those guys are there. Okay, so Tikica just um said that Garrett does pay 55,000 a year. They have one SRO. Um Decelb is the double I think because they have two SRO officers. So that's why there's so much more and they cover

a lot of places. high school, middle school, and country, not country meadow, but water. I just got that list. I just got that list the other day. It might be Country Meadow because I know it's one of the elementary school. It's one of It's one of those. And then um Auburn does the Auburn elementarymentaries and McKenna. And so Garrett pays once a year 55,000. Decalp Central pays twice a year at 68472. Okay. multiple officers. Yeah, I had written down one time I thought, well, that's only 13,000. Said it is Waterlue and Country Meadow. Country Meadow. Thank you. Both of them. Yeah, that would be the other two of the four. I'm sorry.

That would be the other two out of the four elementary schools. That makes sense. Auburn's the Kenny and and uh Jr. Watson. Yeah, that makes sense. Butler doesn't have anything. They haven't they have uh at the high school Rick Short High School and Middle School, junior high. I don't know if there's anybody on site though at Butler Elementary or Riverdale. If Rick Short Yeah, that's at that's at East Side High School and junior high. Oh, I'm sorry. He may do he may do the whole system. Who knows?

But it is he is the one in the east side. I believe I believe they pay 55,000 also because I just have the one. They cover a significant amount of that. Yeah. Yeah. Of what they make. Yeah.

It's good. Just their exposure in those sectors are good to have a full-time sheriff's department person in Butler on a daily basis. They can react to more than just what happens inside the school, but anything that happens inside the corridor of the school pretty rapid effect. They have part-time deputies that go for Cal Eastern and then Rick is both Rick Schwarz fulltime, right? Did you say there are part-time? So that probably co cover covers elementary and Riverdale at some point.

I know in a conversation with Rick, he there pretty full time and then takes the summer windows to sneak in his vacation. Yes. And I was just with him recently and he was trying to wrap up his some of his vacation before the students got back on campus. Kids love him. Yeah, he's a good dude.

Yeah. And he loves them. Any other questions for the sheriff's department? I'm assuming that the ammunition increase was probably due to price. I a good portion of it. I would assume. Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Price. We certainly saw that during co the price increase, but some in some cases they didn't drop back as the having a hard time finding that $18 box of 9 millimeters like I used to do. It goes together. turn on. Okay, I can read this. is the care of inmates that decrease 37,000 to increase in gasoline or Yeah. Is that because we're not transferring as many inmates, you know?

Um, we don't always Yeah, we don't always need all that money. Um, but you never know. like there's no idea of what you're going to need. So, generally they keep kept it at the higher amount and then throughout the year they are able to do some transfers if they need it without additionals because there is just really no way to tell how much we have to pay. last year. I don't remember. I mean, we've bought them fair relatively recent, but I don't know if it was last year. Which line item are you looking at? Oh, right here it says decrease 72450 2025 vests. So they bought vests in 2025.

Oh, they bought this. So that yeah, the notes say that. You can't use them because the stuff in it will deteriorate and it won't stop the the bullets.

Oh, any corrections? like a life cycle two to three years. I'm almost thinking three. I don't know. There is a life cycle.

There is a life cycle, but I'm not sure. using all their overtime break time since they have overtime pay since they not quite full but basically full.

I can look and see where they're at so far. So right now their part-time they are using the overtime they have only used like 8% of it so far. 8%.

Mhm. No, no, no, no. They have 8% left. I'm sorry. and so they've Yeah, the And we're September, so I'm sure they're going to have to transfer into that. What is the part time? Nah, we already talked about this. That is for part-time officers or um the animal control officer or jailers,

anything that pays out of that account. So, multiple different ones. The chaplain I mean, yeah, it's all right. That's looks like five years. Not 100% on the answer, but the best

replace according to AI, it says that typically they are marked for a 5year warranty and a manufacturer's recommendation.

Oh, in 20 from 2025. Yeah, but I have I have a um estimate of unspent appropriations in my figures. Thanks, Rick.

Hey, Rick. That it for sheriff. Anybody else want to sheriff? Okay, let's go back to the health department. And we left off on these uh 15 groups here about funding for that. And maybe to move things along just a little bit. Bob Craft had a suggestion. Bill, we'll throw it out.

I did. What's that? It's his idea. His idea. Okay. But we It was ours. We were discussing it when we walked out. Yeah. To do a flat amount and let Cheryl pick what she wants to give because she's more informed about what are the most important needs healthwise in the county and also knows who performed well in the partnership before and who didn't.

So, can I let you know what Alyssa replied to me? Hey. She said, "With our HFI funding, our incentives are where a large chunk of our money goes for schools. This helps provide supplies, coats, underwear, feminine products, hygiene supplies, etc. to school nurses to distribute to kids in need. Nurses also go can go to conferences for educational opportunities. This is huge as they get to learn best practices and new regulations within school nursing. These funds are available to all schools, but each school is given a budget based on the number of students each school has. We also have a fund that covers mental health appointment costs for school age children. This is something we have start just started funding in 2025 but is not some not something we were planning or being able to cover in 2026. Also schools benefit from our school liaison. She is a great resource to any of the nurses and provides training opportunities and education throughout the county schools. I al then I asked about the

is that is covered already with the she has in her budget the for the HFI in 2025. Oh, not in 26. Um, then I asked her about the one that's was specific to Garrett about the testing or whatever that one said.

Yeah. She said Garrett is receiving funding to help employee employ a nurse practitioner from Park View to run a virtual clinic for students. They do assessments and tests on kids to help determine if they need treatment. This allows kids to miss less school and helps parents out so they aren't running all over creation trying to get the kids to doctor and pick up scripts. It is a been it's been a very successful program

that actually I know what it is that actually started out as a physician clinic that was actually in that school was one of our hospital uh physicians and they had a school nurse that was that part of it and then when Brett left they probably went virtual because the doctor that was actually physically there left the county in Florida Florida and I think not they're talking about students but that was also open to their staff when when the physical doctor was there. She also said um she said I can't because I asked her like prior to HFI funding what they did. just that I can't speak too well on what was happening before HFI, but I do know that we provided lice treatments to schools yearly out of their 1159 budget. Um, that is something we have not been budgeting since HFI since HFI because it fits in the school incentive line item. I also believe there were instances where we provided vaccination opportunities within the schools, but since co that is something we do not do anymore.

I'd be interested to hear what the council members think about Bill's idea of declaring x amount of dollars and letting Cheryl divide it up amongst these 15 here because obviously she knows a whole lot more about it than we do and it'd be it would get directed to those places that have actually been functioning and functioning well but what we decide you're right what we decide might not hit that Mark. So, what's the dollar amount that we're talking about?

Right. I like I'd like this to shoot for 250,000. Open for discussion. You make

I'm stunned. I need to take a minute to catch my we just had to raise taxes on taxpayers to pay for roads and we could have used that. You're talking about $250,000. Again, um I I will say according Rick Collins brought up a great point of that the schools, these these different um agencies, they were functioning without these dollars, they had the windfall. The health department or the state of Indiana gave us these dollars to do out. We did. So now those dollars aren't there anymore. We said as a council, if these dollars go away, we're not going to be able to fund it. And I keep coming back to the statements have been made here. This is going to be the hardest budgeting year we've had. And we don't have the money. And these are things that we need to let other people in our community handle so that we can handle the other things that the council and the and the county is is um responsible for. We can't do everything. Again, great programs. I'm sure they're wonderful. I just don't agree. This isn't the way to spend these dollars. Well, I would just, you know, I just repeat what I said earlier today. As a council, we are we are responsible or partially at least partially responsible for the health and well-being of our citizens and the the whole health program that the state started was started when the need was demonstrated. Um, and I think that we

should help continue this. Yes, I want the state to come back and and put in more. I don't know if I can go to $250,000, but I do think that we um we need to address this, especially when it comes to the schools, the students and the health of those of our citizens there. What I would like to suggest is that we put in put in the 200,000 that that Bill is talking about. Once we get finished with the budget, then we can come back and look and see where we need to cut. If we need to cut more, see what it see what it does to the bottom line before we make a a hard and fast decision. And until all the numbers are put together in one package and we see the bottom line, we don't know if it helps, hurts, or otherwise. So, we'll have another bite at this apple to to cut it back even more if if that's necessary.

I have it highlighted to come back. You prepared to make a motion? I'll make a motion that we put this in the budget at 200,000 until we the final. Do we have a second? I'll second. Any further discussion? Hearing? None. We'll call for the question. All those in favor of putting $200,000 in the budget here for the health department for this group of programs here to be determined by uh Cheryl. Signify by saying I I oppose. I

Amy and Amy two. Okay. So, one, two, three, four, two. Motion is carried with the idea that we come back and look at at the end of the budget. Okay, moving on. Okay, I want to go back to prosecutor. Okay.

So, the account 11272 that um the 83,000 does need to stay because that is the intern that took her bar and they don't have her bar results back yet. But once I mean assuming she passes it once she passes it that 83,000 is the um rate that she will be paid per the state that will be her salary.

And then I asked about the other the other attorney 124 above there. um since theirs is not 83,000 and that is because they are the part-time attorneys not a full-time where that 83,000 would be a full-time attorney. So the the other ones part time at like the second, third, and fourth line. Yeah, those the 5759s those are um because they're part-time and they're not a full-time attorney. whoever.

And I think you guys voted I wasn't here last year to vote on the budget, but I think that was when we gave them benefits as well. Correct. Yep. They gave them benefits and that's paid out of the commissioner's budget. Yep. Okay. Weber is part-time. Yeah. I the number we good, Susan? Yeah. I just wanted you to know that it needs to stay. Okay. Thank you. Let's go to the treasure next.

Where's your Okay. Actually, we see a slight overall decrease

about $200 and change. A lot of that was equipment, furniture, pictures. A lot of decrease there. There's no decrease in other services increase in postage. That's understandable way up. Yeah, two people. Not necessarily. But

anybody have any questions for Joanie back here? My only question maybe is more for Susan. It says requesting 4% increase for these positions, but it doesn't reflect that, right? The spreadsheet does not spreadsheet has the same as it did in because we told them not to enter anything in

will you have that replacement employee in 25 yet or is that 26 for when you have the retirement? Okay.

Okay. Okay. That's what I could remember if it would be 25 and 26 or just one. A question about the money counters. Somebody else had one in their office too, right? Is it clerk's office?

Two separate money counters. Each one has each office. Correct. Didn't the clerk one from the treasur or vice versa initially? Okay, you're gonna have to come to the mic. Yeah, you guys can't have conversation because nobody's gonna know what they're saying. Nobody's going to hear us. Um, one of our machines when we replaced it with a new one, the clerk's office took that one because they did not have any. Okay.

Thank you. Any other questions? Yes, Tony, on the on the maintenance contracts, it went up quite a bit, but is that additional or new maintenance contracts or an increase of the old ones? It's a new maintenance contract. In our 25 budget, we bought a new remote capture machine where we scan our checks through to send them electronically. And so that came with a new maintenance contract. So there are our money counters have maintenance contracts on them. So those were same ones. Okay. But we have an additional one for that new remote capture machine. All right. Thank you.

Uh oh. Uh training travel. Is this increased because of new rules by the commissioners or do you have to have people trained since you're having a new person come in? I'd like to send my new person to the NGO leadership training. So, I had to increase that to cover that training, which that's online. Right. It's online. It's not She's not going anywhere. Right. Yeah. Right. It would be online. Thank you. Anybody else have any questions for Joanie? Good.

Okay. Thank you. Let's go to highway administration. Okay. What about Sunny Meadows surveyor? If you want us to go in order, we can do that there. So So fulfilling a

Well, that will finish your county general ones. So, okay, let's go to Sunny Meadows fulfilling a request from the audience here. The plan for Sunny Meadows right now is that we be empty by May, if not sooner. We kind of have to be because insurance ends. I mean, it can be renewed for Yeah.

Well, that's not I know, but that's not the goal. I know. It's not the goal. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

Yeah. For sure. The goal is to try and get it done by May. That's where we kind of set our our goal for and hopeful. But when we found out how far behind people are on getting diagnosis and waiverss and all the things that they have to get to get the benefits they need to be able to move out and live on their own. It's um become a lot more complicated. We have a great consultant Brenda did a fantastic job with each individual making sure each individual is being taken care of. But there could be a couple that we hit May and they're not we don't have a place for them yet and we may have to consider what that means. Does that mean we find him some other kind of housing temporarily? Get him out of that building because it's not efficient to run with two people.

Is Brenda on here somewhere? He's on the page. Manage. She really really knows her stuff and she is putting um a lot of work into each individual to make sure that they've got what they need to what they should have coming. Our number of residents was 11. Are we still at that amount? No. Where are we at, Lita? We were at

And we were at 17 19 at the beginning down to 11 with three So, three three more may transition by the end of the month. Just so everybody online hears it. Getting much push back with the rest. Thank you, Lita. Are we getting what, Bill? Much push back. the rest of them from the residents. Yeah,

we have one. Um, and we're going to have to do some uh Andrew's helping with that. We may have to do eviction. Um, there's possibly one more. We might have to if we can't convince him it's in his best interest to make his own decision. So, with the numbers going down, are you closing off like sections? No, because there's still you've got men and women and you know so do they have everybody downstairs now? No. There's some that don't want to move downstairs. Especially the one that has the big room and has AC. No, you don't want to move. That'd be about the only way you could go to sections is to move everybody downstairs.

Yeah. And there's not enough rooms downstairs for everybody. So the my only question is as we get fewer and fewer residents a number of now I wouldn't want to change it now because it's too early but as we get fewer and fewer residents some of these positions that are being filled can be eliminated. So the money would not be spent, right? But it can't it's got to stay in there now because you still have to have them still if you got people out there and I wouldn't any out of there because you may need it if you close that building completely down. You have two people left and we have to house them temporarily in a hotel for a month

until they get their I I don't know what could happen, but it's going to come to the point where two people living in that giant home is not going to be affected. with the utilities and everything else and providing food.

And the state looked at it for some of them getting their benefits back. They took their benefits away thinking they were in an institution. And it just so happened that I walked in on a meeting between Brenda on the phone and another committee member talking with Indianapolis. And I go, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. we're not we're not an institution. And she goes, "Well, what are you?" And I said, "Well, halfway house, maybe." I said, "But not an institution. They can come and go as they please." So, that helped get one's benefits back because the state doesn't understand. A lot of them do not understand what we do. So,

I never realized, and Lita and I talked about this the other day, I I never realized that if you were in an institution, they would remove your benefits. You know, if you're if you're in uh you're in prison, don't you still get social security and all this other stuff? Apparently not.

So, yeah. And every single one of them are different. We had 19 different cases. None of them are alike. none of them. So, it it Brenda is it's probably the best money this county has spent in a long time. She's doing fabulous. She knows the ins and outs. It's been a huge challenge for her because I think it was more than what she anticipated, but she's taking it and going with it. So, and and the residents are now warming up to her knowing that she's helping. But um it was not good for it's been it's been a tough road.

But if we give those folks and I shouldn't say the residents, if we're giving a date that says we're closing and we have to go through the eviction process, I mean there is a there has to be some sort of legal says, okay, this facility is closing. It's kind of like if you're selling your house and maybe It's a government entity that makes it different. If I'm selling my property and I say you have to be out at the end of the month because, you know, Rick is buying this house and he's going to live here. I mean, what's to say that they're just holding on until that last possible date and then you start the eviction process and then we're

she in this case this resident does not want to cooperate whatsoever. Yeah. The two that are concerned about it are people that don't want to they are they are putting their foot down and saying I was gonna say can we move on those now I mean I don't they already are okay they already are because it's a long process because obviously you don't want to wait till the end and then you're starting with them the people that but if they have to get benefits I'm that's beyond my the people that would be still possibly be here in May are those that might have a specific mental health problem that not every facility will take or cannot go on their own into an apartment or something like that. And some of them don't have their diagnosis.

So, you've got to track down the physicians way back. Some need their birth certificates. There's two that we're trying to find. They remember where they're born, but you got to be able to try and get their birth certificates. So, there's, like I said, it's all over the board. It's all over the board. Have you I will say the ones that have transitioned out are happy. They they've been excited to go and they're happy. I've talked to I've ran into one that went to Fort Wayne. I've ran into her and she gets to go swimming. She gets So she's So they're all happy. That's that's one thing I want the county to know that we're doing right. Right.

We got to do it right till the end. Whether it ends in May, whether it ends a year from now, we got to do it right. Any other questions for Lita? Thank you. Thank you, Alita. Okay, moving on. Next in order, surveyor

on on this particular one. And I mentioned something to Glenn this morning and I've talked to Bill about this previously. Um the surveyor's office is kind of a special case. If the surveyor doesn't have certain licenses, we're not allowed to pay the salary that we have provided, but it's a reduced salary. And with our the way we handle chief deputies, the chief deputy in the surveyor's office under our normal process would get 80% of the elected officials salary. But because we've got a reduced salary, it really brings it down to an inappropriate number. Call it that. Um, and the chief de the person that is acting as the chief deputy is doing considerable amount of work and does need to have his pay raised again it does break the cycle of what our standard is but it's it's being broken for a specific reason a specific cause I am and I think that what we can do is move some of the salary that we cannot pay the elected surveyor move that to his salary. Whether that amount is 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, that's to be determined, but he's the one that's actually leading the office on a dayto-day basis. You have an elected official who's who's getting paid, but at a reduced rate. We have a chief deputy that is actually the dayto-day office manager doing the work. So, I do believe that that we should move some of that elected officials pay

that we can't give him down to the this technician. And that technician is whom? 11278.

11278. Thank you. One thing I can say, Tyler goes to all like the plan commission and all the meetings that uh that should be done by the surveyor. He does that because he's more qualified there. Do you guys have a number in mind yet or not? I don't. I would say five. Five. I'd go along with

that would be on top of whatever if we give 2% raises that would be in addition to that way I would look at So, wouldn't it um wouldn't it be better if you did it as like a stipen so that if that position ever changes that extra is not automatically there in case there is a um licensed surve he could move he could change the positions to one of the other guys. Yeah, that would probably that would probably paperwork somewhere along the way.

Yeah. So, are you asking to reduce the surveyor's current salary? He already is reduced by state law. He's not getting that 82 because he's not registered. We can't we are not allowed to pay that because he doesn't have the certain certificates licenses which is common across the entire state.

So, why is that? We we always put that 84 in there to begin the budgeting processes in case something would change in our time frame that we're working on. And an elected official like you may quit and then somebody else may be hired that is a registered one. So, we're in agreement then on the five. I'm I'm good with five. I'm good on that.

And I'm good with doing it as a stipen. That would be the better way to go. You're saying move that down to the lead tech, the 11278. Well, it's not going to be in that account number. It's going to be in a stipened account number. Well, I mean that person I'm saying. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. See, he's getting paid. Right. Right. Right. Because they're both pat.

Right. Well, before we go to highway, when they've decided, pardon. When they've decided, Bill and I would like a break before we move on to the I thought we'd wait till Bob Craft comes back and then we'll take a break. Okay. We'll make him stay here while we go out. Okay. soil and water. Okay.

We did them yesterday. Okay. Got a question. Well, I just want to clarify so I'm understanding it. He the elected official is at the that 54 amount. Correct. If he was the registered then it would go it could go to 82. Correct. But he's not registered. So we're taking the five assuming it's off of the 82 to pass down. Correct. Right. Okay. Thank you. We're we're really doing that because he is making the same amount as the surveying technician. The goal would be for him to make more than the surveying technician because he's essentially running the day-to-day office.

Correct. And and that's what flagged it is that they were making exactly the same amount. We in agreement. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Regular. Councilman Craft has entered the building. We are now in recess for restroom break. [Laughter]

Yep, we are in the car. So, it looks like they pay for um Jan. Oh, here's our answer. They from the other day. They pay their portion of A1 janitorial. Oh, yeah.

Um and then they looks like they paid for some dues and their charts software maintenance service and I think the newspaper subscription janitor. So, why don't the other buildings, other departments, I guess, pay for their own A1 janitorial? Why is it just the highway? I need to look at that. Um, the highway would because they have highway has their special their own money, their own money, whereas some of the other departments still are paid from county general.

So, that's where the rest of it normally is paid from. I would have to look to see if Those with special funding have their own. And look

this

central commun central dispatch they pay for their own with A1 also because they have the lit funding and they have their own complete building. I mean here you got all these bathrooms that have to be cleaned. Well, you all use everybody uses bathrooms. This is courthouse. Yeah. I don't know how you would split that. It only generally things only get split apart something like that if there a department has their own funds like the health highway um central to dispatch has the lit. So if they are able to pay for it out of a noncount general fund then that's when it specify

and A1 will bill it that way. Not they won't just bill all one like community corrections. I'm looking because I don't see that they do but I don't see one. I'll have to ask if they are doing that. Oh, the 1176 the second section.

Well, any of them I guess. Are all of those funds available to use for roads if they were not eaten up with other or repairs, those kinds of things?

They use it for roads. As far as I am aware, we got couple insurance because the buildings facilities are so much more and then the liability insurance is up just like all the liability insurance for the county is up. He bumped his natural gas up quite a bit and his electric was a lot bigger. Well, that's what he just had. Yeah, that's what I circled before. Yeah.

But he's in line with what we bump what we had to do. to answer your question. Yes, the money in 1176 can be used for roads.

Ben said the 1176 money can be used for roads in construction and maintenance. That's the construction. So, a lot of those funds that could be directed towards roads end up paying for a lot of other things. It looks like does that total the MVH 117? So, that's 3.3 million.

Yeah. Yeah, some of that's repairs, vehicles, some of that's staff benefits, and then the rest of the actual road money is looks like right around two. Yeah. Well, two 2.3 million. There's a million that comes from the commissioner's lighted for highway operations, which includes the things for the roads also. Okay. He's got some um like local road and street money. They those I didn't print those. They don't have wages. Those would have been in also the bridge.

Yeah. And there's some bridge. Yes, there's bridge money. There's 990,000 in the local road street for sand, salt, equipment, and a vehicle they're able to purchase,

right? Yeah, that will all go into the 1176 fund. Amy's comment there, what happens in the year if he doesn't use all the petroleum product, you know, gas went down and didn't use it all. Um, it stays in his fund balance. Is he able to encumber it for the next year to use on roads and say, "I'm gonna gravel with this." You can only encumber monies if you have a an invoice or purchase order stating the exact amount that

is highway fund. It doesn't have to go back. It stays in the highway fund for him to use the next year. Anything extra that's unspent. Every fund, any fund that is not any appropriation that's not spent just stays as the cash balance in their fund and then they start on the new budget. Yeah. Because if you don't use lose all your tire fund because you didn't buy that many tires, right? You might have 10,000 left the next year that's going to be able to be might build up and be able to use for how much of the they set the tax rate

for general fund 2026. They'll have the budgeted amounts that we've set up. Do they take into consideration any of the cash balance from the previous year when they set the tax rate? Yeah, I believe so because we have to put all that information in in Gateway.

The Yeah, they do. The only thing that they wouldn't know is if there's going to be unspent appropriations any close to we how close are we to our max you know this year not let's not look think about next year let's think about this year past year

all right just a second because I had to ask Ask Jeff and Nikki. Oh, we're looking for that while Susan's looking for that. Over the past couple years, we have seen where when different departments have had cuts, we've come along and and tried to help them, as we've done here today with different ones. and um with the highway department obviously over the next oh taking some cuts already and I think it we should consider looking at taking on some of their um some of their staff um or benefits and covering those to help them free up some of their own dollars that they

could pour back into the roads. If I calculated correctly, their PEF insurance and social security come out to right around $640,000. That if we covered that at the county general instead, then they would have those dollars to put towards the roads. As we've said, there was a lot of a lot of need in our county to fix the roads. And here is um another way that we could look at doing that. I know it's not the norm. Most counties aren't spending or moving funds around to out cover the roads this way. But I think we've seen the state is kind of pushing this back into our plates and saying, "Hey, you guys got to take care of your roads." Which Rick alluded to earlier. And so um and added into the staff if we started covering some of their staff uh that would be what I have 1.5. So together we would look at 2.2 million. Maybe we don't absorb all that this year but again to look at ways this would be another option that we could help the county. We could help get some roads done. Um, we've already talked about the when we are looking at like putting aside our 30%, we've shown over the last several years that we've had in excess of $10 million extra. So, I think that beginning to absorb one or two million from the highway department of their cost so that we could free up those funds for roads, I think would really show that we're doing our due diligence for the county or for the citizens who asked us when we had the open forum or the open public meeting to say, "Let's look for some other ways that we can fund the roads." And here's another third option that we could look at to doing that.

With everything Highway has spent, what may be unspent, any receipts still coming, and with their request for 26 when everything is said and done, the estimated um cash reserves at the end of 2026 is 67%. Okay. or highway for the highway the U and and I understand what Amy's trying to do and I don't

I understand the the reasoning for it but as someone has had to manage different departments manage what different costs are for different functions. I would not want to start taking things out of the highway department and put it in in general because it makes it very difficult to to know how much you're spending on a particular function. The reason that highways are separate is so that we can determine what those what those costs are to maintain our roads. So I would not want to see us do that. Um, there must be other ways that we can we can figure that out. And where would what would that do to our cash balance in general? Right now, if I look at we if we do all the ones you already suggested here, Susan,

we're going to have a residual of anywhere from 25 to 27%. Isn't Jeff Peters suggestion to us 30%? Correct. So we would go where we'd going even farther down below and I don't want to see anything that would happen that would start getting us into the 15 and and and 10% residuals then how much would you recommend and how much would you recommend that we look at instead or highway? Nothing. So the only answer then at this point is just to raise the taxes is what what would there be?

I don't leave this sit and I understand what we're doing because a why they ended up into the highway department is when we came on because we didn't have enough money in the general funds to to cover the insurance and stuff when we were a million dollars in debt. And I also think that we should wait until we see how much money we actually get back from our wills tax before we start moving things back and forth. Well, but and that's what I I know I would rather do it that way.

But one of the points that you guys made was that we have 35 $35 million u and projects that need to be done across the county. How are we going to get that done? I mean, that was your point. Your point was we have $35 million and that's why we need to raise the tax. Well, the the tax that we raised, even if we went to the maximum, isn't going to fix that. So, where else are we going to raise where else are we going to raise the funds from? At this point, I don't think I don't think that decision is going to be made at this point because it's most likely going to come from maybe either an increase in the wheel tax or when we start having to look next year at the local option income taxes. One of the points that I think Bill is making is that when Bill came on and when I first came on the council, we had a we were in a world of hurt because in order to get more money to roads, what the council at those at that time had done was move a lot of the day-to-day operational expenses from the highway department into the bridge fund, which put our bridge bridge fund in dire straits to the point where we actually had to raise the cap tax to get bridges paid for because we were using the wrong pocket to take money out of do the day-to-day operations. And I don't want to see us do anything that would move us back into that particular position because it's it's not it's not going to be too long before we can't afford to pay for bridges out of because we need the money to replace our other equipment which is what the fund was set up for in the

We're already there. We're already there. We're already there. Okay. So see it's you know all this robbing Peter to pay Paul stuff just makes us go in the wrong direction. So, um, I would be interested in anybody else's opinion in your comment about the cash balance and all the highway funds being 67% after they're all paid 25 estimate for 20 including the 26 budget request. That's 67% of this total the five five million You have a cash balance. Well, 1176. So,

oh, just 117. So, 1176 is 3.4 million requested and the 1173 is 2. So, more than half of that we have left over extra in the highway fund. Yes. In a cash balance. Local road. There's there's a million five. Local road street. Local road street is estimated to be at 52%. There's a million five, right? Right. Of extra that's there. But we just passed a wheel tax because we said we were going to be short. So,

well, we are with the projects that should or need to be done. He's only doing the bare minimum with what money he has from what I understand. And part of the wheel tax issue was our qualifications for the second level of community crossing. So there was there was multiple reasons.

I understand what you're saying, Amy. But at this point, the same reason that I made the recommend or made the motion to do the wheel tax the lowest amount until we know what crew shortage we have because we got we got we're going to be able to tap this extra million and then there's 50 million extra set aside for counties that are small like us that we're going to be able to tap. We don't and and then we don't know what's going to happen with light being replaced through our general. You know, how much is it 100% replaced, 80% replaced? So, it's going to at least another year for us to know. I want to know that we have at least as much as we had last year in highway funding. I think we have more than we had last year to continue to go with what we have. And so I wouldn't be for trying to pull anything out of general this year. But I do think that's an avenue to look at if we're short um in the future because if if that million extra million that we're getting doesn't cover it, the extra 50 million that they're putting aside for us doesn't cover it and we still need to do more. You know, maybe we even have to raise the wheel tax if we don't have enough. That's I'm open to that. But at this point, I don't think we know where that's all going to settle out with the state. And you're right there, too. If they don't um I don't know whether they have or not, but if the city of Indianapolis don't match their funds, that money is coming back to the county, too. You know, the pot that's 50 million that a little bit.

We may not be in as bad a shape for the roads as what we originally thought is what you're saying. Well, there's projects to be done, but and like the only thing like I don't mind taking it out and I think we're going to have to take it out of general when they have a bid on 60. That study on 60 is going to cost us $250,000, right? We have to magically pay for that

and and we'll have to have stuff like that. I don't want to take it out of his budget, but I think I can reason taking it out of the general fund so we get the study done then go from that. I'd like to see what we're going to be in with the SB1 bill and everything next year before we start pulling other money out. I am all right with that. And there's a couple other things I'm okay with, but just taking it out to cover his uh

the other piece of it um with the wheel tax was the money that he currently gets for the CCMG grant that he gets every year, community crossing grant thing. Um we weren't going to get all of it. I don't even know if we're going to get what we currently get with the wheel tax that was passed. Um, so that will be other monies that will be coming from his funds that normally weren't because we normally got them in grants.

Yeah. Well, my my understanding was that we needed as much money as we could possibly get as soon as possible so we could go through and fix all the roads. Roads are so bad like we just had to get them fixed, right? So trying to to put out here some some um other alternatives to look at. But maybe that's not as bad as we thought it was and we didn't have to to do all that in the first place. I don't know. We'll find out.

You know, one of the other things that I think we need to do and we did we have still not provided it. Um Mike Watson tried to provide it last year. We tried to provide it again this year. Um we we have that 35 million. Does that 35 million need to be done that in projects need to be done in the next year, the next five years, the next 10 years? We don't have a plan. We don't have a plan as what's needed. One of our citizens went in and looked at what they have at Noble County. In Noble County, there is an Excel spreadsheet that shows each road when it's going to be improved, whether or not it's going to be paved, how much it's going to cost, what year it's going to be done, and they have it all set out. We don't have that. We need that.

I'm pretty sure that Ben provided Ben does not have it in the detail that Noble County got it. Ben's got his ideas. Ben is taking things as as needed. He doesn't have it set out. The same thing. Lraange County went out and hired their engineering firm to do that same thing. Noble County has an engineer on staff within their highway department that keeps that up to date. We don't have that. And even something as simple as the the decision process for paving a road, what you know, how many driveways or how much traffic does that road have to have for us to validate paving that that I think that's a basic we got to we got to get that we're not making those decisions.

And I believe the commissioners were dealing with an issue like that on Tuesday because there is a a person that wants county road 17 paved and you know it's a issue of whether who's going to for it. It's going to be this individual. But um there are going to be others that come to us and want to have their road paved and we have no standards. Yeah. Um I think we provided the the standard that Stuben County set up, but again, Stuben County had an engineer on staff that we don't have. And it's not that we I don't I'm not saying that we need one on a regular basis. We at least need to have access and we need to have some of this more detailed stuff put out.

Well, I think it's it's disingenuous to say that Ben doesn't have a plan. He does have a plan. It may not be the details that you want, but he does have a he has something as he's laid that out pretty clearly. Ben has Ben Ben has done an excellent job. Yes, believe me. Yes, he's done a very good job. The third highway superintendent that I've been with and probably more than that going back in previous years, but Ben does a wonderful job, but Ben is can only do so much.

Yes, he can only do so much with the money we give him. Are we done with the highway? Sadly, it sounds Okay, that is our last one. Correct Susan? As far as I know. So,

okay. So, answer Rick on the max levy. I asked um Peters Franklin about it because I remember George Helton telling me that for 2025 we were not at our max levy. Um, so this is what Nikki said. She said, "The DLGF estimated max levy includes a mental health adjustment and a developmental disability adjustment that are the maximum allowable. The amounts we used are based on historical amounts of those two adjustments. The form three is still higher than what we expect the max levy to be, but less than the DLGF amount. I have and then she's attached the worksheet. So we are less than the DLGF max levy but higher than what Peter Franklin thinks that we should be.

Yeah. So um prior to the adjustments the max levy would be estimated would be 11 million717430 and

is that only for the general or is that all the whole tax rate just the general It is the general

and with what I had submitted as advertised which I submit high for wages. So but the actual submitted amount um we come in at $10950. So in order to get us to an end product, the one thing that we the two things we haven't done is to determine what the a range rate will be

increase and your list of items here. Yes. And then we also will need to talk about fume cap. Okay. Can I add Uhhuh.

Yeah. I know I wasn't here last night problems on the farm, but we also, and I put this your mind, this may not happen, but we have free rent from the farm service out there for the soil and water conservation. And we're not sure we're going to have building six months or by the end of six months because of the way the federal government restructuring. I know she didn't put it down because you didn't know maybe we can move them out the sunny medals for you know place but but that's got to be in her minds too because it is what you know that will come and we don't know whatever the federal is because that's a federal business building that's rented or paid by paid by the federal government and they let us use that for rent free. And we did talk about that, but we didn't know it was coming to an end.

Actually, Amy and I talked about that last night because we toured that building as part of the space study. But you said it might be coming to an end. Might be. They might be. Yeah. No, but they they they said that that's a that's the issue. They said we may never happen, but see, they're putting a new USDA hub in Indianapolis. They don't know when they get that in there what's going to do with the the county stuff. And I just want to throw that out. I'm not, you know, it's nothing we got to worry about now, but it might come in. It might come that we have to find a building for them.

We're doing a study. Well, see, wait a I I don't know if there's a sign agreement with him. Yeah, but that that is a it's not a the federal rents that building for the F. I can think one thing, but they got half and the other half. Plus, there's

two or three rooms that they have meeting rooms in out there. So, I don't exactly know who owns the building, but I know that the somebody knew because they renovated the whole the whole complex why sold it, but it's paid by by the federal government right now. Is that something? Yeah. Is it like that in other counties? Well, I have no clue. Well, that's why I was asking the question because that the ask I asked I put out a blog on and I've gotten no response back from most people, but the ones that have responded say they don't pay. So, I assume they've got the same arrangements.

They're intertwined, right? They rely on each other. How many square feet do they

think that was? Yeah, they share a bathroom and share four room with somebody. There's four offices in the back that No. Okay. At least the one the one

Derek is uh as a federal worker, but there's three of them. That's three of them um three officers that's county employed. Then the front office is county employed. And then the uh Joyce, not Joyce, Jenny, whatever is a federal that works in the front there. Uh, no. Jennifer, if you walk in, she she works there as you see Judy whatever and and she's right there. So, there's actually two of two USDA people there. And then there's one, two, three, four, four, and four of the county people. No,

the idea. But I just wanted you to know that's a possibility because I you don't know what's going to happen. All the federal cuts.

Yeah. because fact that they I think they'd have to be pretty close because they when you go in and and get uh let's say money to put a set aside or or something in both sides got to approve it so you have the the right amount of money do it. Yeah, it is. But Sometimes they don't think through what they've got to do. I don't know who who's JC Legacy. Do you know what's that?

JC Legacy. That's the owner of the building. Hey, while we're looking at this, can we kind of circle back to see where we're going to need to get to our 30%. Okay, so thank you. with everything that has been discussed so far. That is all of the cuts that I had suggested which are the ones on this list

which is the one on that last page. Yes. um and taking additional 10,000 away for my seasonal employee, taking 4114 away for the VA, adding in the um 5,000 for the stipen. Um, I did add 56 376 for Sunny Meadows because I realized I didn't put the matrons amount on there. Um, and then with 200,000 for the health HFI at a 2 and a half% increase, we would be at 25%. At a 2% increase, we'd be at 26.

Didn't we have a $30,000 in there we cut out somewhere. I'd have to go back and look, but we struck a line out. No, that was not out of general. That was out of project income. That was okay. It wasn't a general fund.

Okay. Thank you. Well, I don't personally I don't think that we can go any less than a 2 and a.5% raise, but I'm sorry, but I I don't know that I can justify 3% either at this at this time. Um, and I appreciate all the departments held the line on darn near everything they had any control over, but um, just 2 and a half% across the board. Now, there were some within the health department that we were going to not give raises to, but that's not going to be enough to really change the bottom line number.

That's not even going to be county general. That's not even county general. The health department. Okay. Um, but I just knowing that the the target is 30%, I just can't take us down below 25%. So, two two and a half is what I would think for for wages.

Do we have that motion then for the council to vote on on two and a half%? That's what we need is I'll make a motion that the raises be two and a half%. Well, don't want to vote on it yet. I don't even have a second. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Is that Amy, Bob, Dave? I mean, what are what are you guys' thoughts? Is that what we want to do? Is 2% better? How much how much we saving on a half percent? Huh? We say either 25% or 26%.

No, I think he's looking for dollars. Is that Is that what you roughly? Dollars. Well, it's there in the blue and pink, I think. Right. 2%. We're going to save is Well, we're going to save what? 100,000. It looks like about 100,000. Yeah, that would go could go towards the 200,000. The health no health department is not included in this. Got that in

the health department programs that they're requesting to be covered is part of county general because that's the only place we could pay for it. Put that in there. I in the percentages that I gave the 25 and the 26% I added in the 200,000 for those programs so that you knew where you were with it.

So is that are we agreeing on that that we're going to put in the 200,000? You you haven't made that decision yet. That's just where we were before we can get to I would rather we need to know that what the RA what the raise is going to be that's the biggest change in our budget I would rather put that 200,000 to staff at this point than Amy did you say the cost of living was two% for this So far, yeah, two to two and a half% what the cola was.

What do you mean? I mean, it all depends what plan you're on.

Did people that are in insurance go up more than two and a half%? in their premiums. Of course, many of them don't even have any premium. I'd have to figure that out because Yeah, because if you did the wellness thing and you're on employee only, you're not paying anything for insurance. So, I would have to find somebody specific and figure it out. That's pretty. And Amy, what did you say was the two two and a half two to two and a half%. We're looking we're looking at another three months or four months. You know what what's going to change? I do

you know in the past we've had to say we we take 5% off of everybody's budget and we've had to do that. It's not it's not fun. It's painful. But we may have to take a look and see or because we told everybody keep everything consistent with last year. We gave the caveat that that may be reduced and we're we're there. I think they I think for their for their expenses they did the majority of the departments didn't go up more than they didn't go up% but we've had to re within that 4% limit of of the u the growth portion. So

but we might have to tighten the budget a little tighter. Like I said, I just don't want to go below 25%. No, that balance even at 26. But I think that I think that quite honestly the employees that are here, the ones that we have, the ones that stuck with us, we've got great employees. We do. We've got to we've we've got to to reward them. No, I'm not I'm not saying

I I understand what you're saying. I'm just saying that inflation has been close to what what I'm projecting or what what I'm saying. We're still looking at another three or four months before the final number comes in for this year, let alone for what's going to happen next year. So, I think I think two and a half% is the right choice. But that's just me. I've made that motion and nobody second it. So, it may not go anywhere. Get a vote on it. Second. Okay. Have a vote on it.

Do we have a motion to increase the salaries by 2 and a.5%. A motion by Rick Rang, second by Bill Van White. Any further discussion on the wage increase two and a half hearing? None. We'll call for the question. All those in favor of 2 and a.5% raise for next year's budget signify by saying I I I Iard for it I'll support it. Okay. Okay.

Motion is carried unanimously. Now, with all that being said, when that number come when when all this stuff is done and and Susan comes back to us on the 24th, we can still cut it back if necessary.

Okay. So, health insurance Rick from self-funded. Well, we're still suspended since from the 2024 employee only was paying 7%, employee spouse 11%, employee child 10% and family 14%. Then we came and we have HSA and PO. So um that so the employeeonly percentage went from seven to eight. Many are paying zero. the spouses. Um the commissioners chose to and it makes sense because the spouses are some of the higher carriers that or higher costs that are bringing insurance up. So they went they did theirs from 11% up to 14%. And if they did the wellness then they're only paying 10% so they're paying less. the employee child went from 10% to 12% or 8% if they did it and the family went from 14% to 15% or 12% if they did the wellness.

So you're saying they were they're paying their 15% of their to of their total cost for the year is what the employee covers, right? Correct. Okay. And on the PO plan, the coverage is not quite as good. deductible. The other one didn't. And it also does it pay after you get your max out of pocket. You still have to pay now. And I didn't because I hit max out of pocket in January when I was in the hospital. Is that is that the plan with the HSA? I have an No, that's the PE. Oh, the other the other one.

And and the commissioners gave the employees a wonderful opportunity uh to go through the wellness program and essentially end up not having to pay anything. And if they didn't take advantage of it, I'm sorry. That's just the way it is. But um and that is if you were employee only. Yeah. And that is a one-time thing that won't happen in 26 is what we're they haven't made that decision yet.

And you know, and I think what the commissioners were trying to do, and it's it's again one of those things that will save us money is if we can get the employees and the employees families to take better care of themselves, do things that are going to improve their health, will make our costs go down. So, you know, it's that carrot and stick thing.

Okay. So on county general 2 and a half% um is the 25% including the HFI program at 200,000 that you hadn't haven't made a decision on yet to take the 200,000 completely out of it. you go to 26%. But leaving it in, it's how much?

Say leaving it in, it's uh 25% cash reserve estimate six. Okay.

So, one other piece of that before you go further. If we Okay. So, on this sheet it says cumulative capital development at the top of it. Pretty much all gray with one tiny red mark. So, above the red mark is what is requested out of our CCD fund. So the full 1.1 million requested the 1 million119150 that currently is a negative 22% cash balance if all that is approved. So some of that may I don't know where it's going to come from but we won't be able to fund all of it. the bottom part. So it's very confusing. So I have to pay all claims out of fund 1138. But when we increase the cumap rate, 42% of every settlement goes to the bridges. So in order to be able to track that then I um actually it was Jan we created a home rule fund which is 4738 so that we know how much money is directed to the highway department because of that tax increase. So what happens is at the end of the year, however much Ben has spent out of 1138, we write a check from 4738 to put back into 1138 because that's really what's paying for those monies for that or for those expenses.

Um, am I correct cap is not levy controlled? No, no tax caps or any of that is going to hit the the cap. Correct. As far as this could end up with more money in it than depending on whether or not the assessed valuation goes up and all the other things. Yeah. I mean, we currently, right this minute, we have no no money. There's no money in that fund. Okay.

I mean, on the fund reports, it's going to actually show negative because that would be the um highway expenses that will get moved over from the other fund at the end of the year. There is let me think about this a minute. So under courthouse we have building repair and maintenance. Let me pull something up. So we have 395,000 estimated there. We also have Um, we have 200,000 in County General, which is what I've been using first this year. And then for 2026, the commissioners have put in, let me think,

They either put in a 100,000 or 200,000 um for Larry to be able to use as everybody going to him for their needs. Does it so does that take place officer not only 250 Larry that 200,000 Larry as well that was this year yeah they're not asking for that for next year on that

I don't believe that they have they paid for some of it out of Um, what are their incentive funds? Looks like they've spent um out of the cumat part they've quickly looking at this they've spent about 53,000 I don't know that. I don't know if they're all I mean, they're getting close. I don't know if they're all done or not, which I mean, we'll have to play it by year for that also, depending how much more comes until settlement time.

You may have already settled. Courthouse repairs, office remodel.

Okay, there's nothing. I see it. That's this year's budget, not last year. the plan commission stuff. That is a um just what would be needed for the year, not with the full the plan commission like the um comprehensive plan and the Eagle View contract. It's not like the full value that that Eagle View thing isn't that that's that's where they do the flyovers and that's being used by not only us but by all the cities and towns and realators and Beacon.

That's fairly important. And you had said yesterday we've zeroed out the um tax rate for the redevelopment or the reassessment, the reassessment. So that'll take that out. So while we're looking at that, let's discuss the 200,000, take a vote on it, whether that's going to stay in the health department or be adjusted the August 24th meeting. But I think we need a motion to yay or nay from the council whether we want to do that 200,000 Leave it in. Just leave it in.

What do you mean, Dave? Well, we we put that $200,000 in for the health department for Cheryl to Yeah. And we talked about voting on it at one time, whether we want to or not, or just leave it in there. And then come back and look at it. What do you mean leave it in there until we uh 24th? till the 24th and we after we get all the numbers solidified, we can decide to take it out, right? Or part of it or whatever. You need a motion to keep it in there. The motion was already made to put it in. Okay. We didn't vote on it. We didn't motion it.

Oh, yeah. We did. Yeah, it was voted to pay it out of county general and it passed 4 to2. I would I would agree with Bill. I think leave it in there. That gives us a week and a half to think about it. Susan to get all the Susan and Jod to get all the numbers together and then on the 24th vote on whether or not it stays in. So right now we're at 2 and a half% raise and at 25% cash balance. We need to approve this on a first reading. I'll make that motion. Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, we got a we got an airport one to do, too. We already did the airport.

We did the airport yesterday, but when you pass the budget on first reading, that's everything. So, you need to decide what you're doing if or if you're not doing anything with the CCD fund. That's not going to be funded. Are there any other funds out there that we need to look at besides this one? bridge fund or any of the other.

I mean, the bridge is going to be at like a 9%, but that there's not really a lot you do there. I mean, you kind of spend that one. I was going to say that goes to zero most times. Yeah. So, but no, I mean the highway restricted, but that also is one that fluctuates because you can't pay everything out of there anyways. And that's a guess on the budgeting part of it because we have a shortfall. We have to cut some.

I would Yeah. Yeah. So you would be cutting from the above the highway amounts. So I guess my first question is how did it get to a negative balance? A negative cash reserve. Sorry, I wrote down a negative balance. Well, right now on the fund report, it shows a negative balance. It technically would be zero because whatever is negative is sitting in fund 4738 until the end of the year when I move that back over. Okay.

So technically it's zero. So, it got that way because there's been so many capital needs and vehicles and different community see development expenditures. Plus, it's not getting it's not getting all of the income because 42% goes to the bridges. So we're not getting as much as what we used to, but we've also had a lot of expenditures in it. This doesn't take into account that emergency happened, correct?

That need to be paid from cap. So we need to take 22% off of 1 one n million. 1,119,000 off that number. Uh well, I mean depending what you're what cash balance you're trying to get to, right? But if we're negative 22%, we have to take it off that number. Correct.

You can aim for that, but everything shifts. It all depends on the formulas are you take sometimes it works opposite. So you can start there. For instance, if we get if we take $250,000 away from that, then you'll be at 1%. Where are we taking it? I was just figuring numbers to see where we answering my question. I mean we can a percent

we can try to take it from the building improvement and purchase. I mean, maybe we should do the 300,000 from there because that was so for development services, but that's kind of a commissioner thing that they will

I don't and I don't think the commissioners are going to do anything until the the building study is done. So, if we take the 300 out for that piece of it, then um we'll be at 7%. What's the middle part there? 80K super one 80,000 for superior one. That would be Oh, core. Okay. Uh that's the the camera system. Yeah. But that was superior too. Superior 2 wanted to match what Superior One had.

Should say two. I thought it was Squer. No, it was Jessup. It was Jessup. They wanted to match what doer does. I changed it. I thought they were Are they not trying to do what circuit has? I don't know. I changed it. Moving on. I know it was just Okay. Yeah, that was And what's the 15,000 for PCC?

I don't remember. Um, let's me All I have is a note written down that says add I have possibly move software expenses to it. And then I have a note that says added 15,000 to CCD courthouse, but oh because they didn't request they did not input anything in for um CCD, but on their five-year projection, they're wanting 15,000 um to seat coat. I think that's supposed to be seal coat. Something parking lot and painting of lines.

Yes, that's a community correction. Yeah. So, they estimated 15,000 and they didn't put it in anywhere. So, I put it in as a building. I think it, you know, we need we need to take care of those parking lots, but I I think that's something that we can probably wait on. wait very long though or you're going to have fall down. Is it that bad?

I mean, it's just it's weathered. If you let it sit out and you have the sun and you're plowing it in the winter, if you don't seal it, then it just starts chunking up. That was something we talked We need to get quotes on it. I think that was a number just from conversation that was put in there. It wasn't anything solid. Honestly, I don't know. I don't know. Did we all agree at least to do the 300,000 for development services? That that's probably not going to get done. have to remove.

Chris will be used to it. We cut that pretty much every year. Promised him forever that we just have to keep cutting it.

But I think that they I think the commissioners are doing something and they have lighted funds to be able to do projects or different things like that. Um so I don't think it's going to come from CCD. So with that 300 out then you're at a 7%. 7% digital or 7%

estimated cash balance at the end of the year with this one. I think that's probably about the best you can do because I don't see unless you want to cut out a couple of squad cars or do we already remove two? I'm trying said squad cars out of five were removed. New vehicle five new vehicles pull up that decreased to what is

did we already decrease it from 7 to 5 is I guess what I'm asking oh look the numbers are 444 to 330 so that could be are we let me see if I have we go from five to three I I don't think we went from five to three. They always they always request five.

Yeah. He's decreasing. No, he No, for 25 he did five vehicles plus two transport vans. So we did seven in 2025. It used to be we did three every year and then we moved it to five every year.

Um I don't know. I think that maybe 7% residual in that fund is about all you're best you can do. And if doesn't get that much in there, you just don't do you just there or something just doesn't get done that last person to last department to request or how do you figure out what doesn't get done? Which is the most biggest emergency and some of these things are contractual. Isn't the one is a third third payment on something? Yeah, I don't know that we can cut that. Some of that stuff has to be done.

So, the clerk's infinity, that one cannot be cut. That has to stay. The eagle view has to stay. I think the comprehensive plan thing would have to stay.

So, it's $120,000 that comprehensive rewrite. Um, but Chris says that he will be able to encumber the remainder of what he requested in 25 of a hundred thou 100,000 so that he can so he'll be able to cover that part. But that doesn't mean we actually have the cash there. not on here. It has to be something that came up and they might have to wait. Supposed to be, you know, we're supposed to be developing a 5year plan

unless it's an emergency repair. It'll have to wait or we'll have And there's some any other funds that have tax rates that we have.

Yeah. So, um I just did an estimate. I'm not going to take it all out, but the um under the courthouse that building improvement or purchase, if the full 395 came out, then it would be a 21% cash balance. And um there's money like we would use the county general and the lighted dollars that the commissioners have put aside before using the cumap dollars for those kinds of things. And that all comes to to me. I'm the one that says which fund we need to pay for it from. So I would be able to regulate that part of it. That would leave us with a residual balance of what?

21. Again, that's better than I thought we'd do. I thought seven was the best. But I would prefer if you guys would leave the 95,000 in there so it's a available in case of an emergency. 300 $395,000. We are taking 300,000 away. So there's 95,000 left.

So is everybody comfortable with that? Amy, you're not saying anything. Oh, I'm need a motion already.

Okay. So, now you need a motion for the first reading. Let me get this moved around here. So the you guys normally do a motion and the ordinance is 2025- OCC-10 for the 2026 county budget with all changes discussed on first reading. Okay. Do we have we have what's the bottom line number there

that we cut change? No dollar that I mean do you have a to total there? Not that we need to know that right now, but of what is going in what's what's the the 25 or 26 budget total bottom line is it 10,950,000 or something more county general only is 27893623. Well, I'll make a motion we approve the two 2026 county budget on first reading. Do we have a second?

Sorry. With ordinance 2025- OCC-10. That sounds good to me. I'll second it. Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve the county budget ordinance number 2025- OCC-10 with all items discussed.

I'm sorry. Yes, that that's leaving in the 200,000 per hour. Puts us in at 25% and two and a half. We can when in second and third reading on the 24th after we've had time to think about it more. It could come out or could change it just go up after I yeah can get all of my numbers officially in and verify all my stuff. Any further discussion hearing? None. We'll call for the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I oppos I

motion is carried six I'm sorry 5 to one um do we have anything else to come before us today Susan I hope not okay before I don't think so before we adjourn I just want to I want to thank Susan and Jody and compliment you both on your knowledge here because you were able to come up with a lot of numbers quick lot of transfers for a lot of departments and if you didn't have it in your head, you were able to pull it up quick and and that's you're both pros at it there and we just we thank you very deeply for that. So, thank you. Late hours that I know you've all put in.

Yeah. And Amy Proer, you may have forgotten how to do this, but do we have I will make the motion. Okay. And I'll second it. You seconded it. So, all those in favor of I I favor of I. All those say I. No opposing. We're done. Pretty good because I said if we weren't done by