County Council - Regular Meeting

Okay, we'll call the meeting to order. Okay. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic which stands one nation under God indivisible.

Yes. The additions toend our changes. We have one that's on here is the CBC appropriations. So that's the third item. Any problem with that? We'll discuss that as it comes up. Okay. Approval of the minutes. These are the minutes of December 15th. Motion moved. We're controversial. Awesome. Darren. Yes. Judy.

Um, I'm I'm just going to be listening. I don't think I'm going to vote unless it's on something really important. Yes. Gary, [clears throat] yes. Patrick, yes. Joel, yes. Jim, sure. Okay. Next item underneath the old business is the salary ordinance. Bringing us up to speed. Julie,

actually I went I've pardon me, I went through everything, made sure all the dates were corrected. Um there was a few things that u on longevity that weren't correct. I still have a little kind of an issue with the um jail, but other than that, it should be good. Part of the primary concern, as I understand it, is that the the elected officials have to be locked in on the first of the year. We can amend the ordinance for other people, employees after that if need be. So [clears throat] any other questions on the salary ordinance?

Say that again. We can my understanding from Susan is this correct that you all understand? Yeah. The elected official elected officials cannot be changed after the first of the year once this salary is done. Any anybody else we can go through and correct? Make amendments. Make amendments. Yes. On the salary orders. So your questions with the jail and corrections may be resolved as we go into the year.

Yeah, I've already got him corrected on there. Any discussion? Ordinance? We've had one reading of it on the 4th of December. This will be the final reading. Right. I'll take a motion. If we trying to think how we I know we were shooting for a perfect salary ordinance, you know, which seems like a pretty high bar. Um, it doesn't sound like it's completely accurate or needs additional work. I wonder I wish Susan was here. Susan and I have been working together on it.

Yeah, perfect issue. The issue is getting it into the shifting from salary grades, the 35 or so salary grades into the range vector to my issue is in the jail there's a lot of um people whose salary has went down and we can't do that. you can't make and so you can't pay them their actual wage if we pass something that's less than their actual wage which I got a problem. Actually, we can amend the salary ordinance first of the year for that. So that I'm not really concerned about. It's basically the like he said the actual elected officials need to be locked in by the first of the year.

What does it take to resolve the jail salaries? I'm just going to have to go back over it with Susan line by line. What happened with theirs? Well, for one thing, Andy Ru's longevity was way off. Um, he went from $800 to $1,400 in longevity. You had Mike Moore who's also way off. You said some of them went down. Some of the pay went down. Yes. Yes. How does that happen?

We had a guy in jail in the jail system that went he's his pay according to the form once was supposed to be 48,000. He's down to 41 and then when you give him the rest of it, it's only going to be like 43 or 45. And this is because the WHIS job Yeah. classification put him down to 41. And we agreed that we weren't going down. We were correct. We did agree to that. So those are the issues you want to resolve.

Yes. Do we have a summary of the ones that are going to be locked in? Yep. You have all the elected officials on there. that Susan sent out. So, okay, it was salary two. Yeah, probably. Well, it was

Yeah, that's what it was. [clears throat] That's what that's what it was referred to. So, from from December 4th to now, were there any changes on the elected officials? Do you know? I do not believe so. They were pretty much all correct. May I say something? Yes. So, [clears throat] basically, we can amend anything other than elected officials after the first of the year. Correct. That's correct.

So, if we need to go ahead and pass this and lock the elected officials in, my suggestion is we do that. But we note that we have some corrections that we're going to have to do after the first of the year. It's just my suggestion. Wouldn't that Susan's suggestion as well? Yeah, that was her suggestion as well. Yes. And if we don't pass it today, what is the consequence? That's what I

Well, and and in addition to that, if we pass it and changes need to be made, we can't make them to the elected officials salary. Can't make it to that. But for the other folks, I'm worried about the jail folks or who anybody else who's making less, especially our first payday is when when are the checks cut and when would we have to meet to authorize you? January. What? Yeah, this is something I plan to work on tomorrow. I'll be meeting January 8th. I don't know when's checks cut. No, later today. What's the next pay period though? They received their checks. Uh the next pay period. January. Yeah, but what date? What's the first day? So, we can fix it.

9th. So, there's some time. So, we meet on the eth January 9th is the first pay in January. 8th is probably too late for you. Not to kind of check and or well it's just for those if we authorized is our meeting in the morning or evening? Morning. Morning. January 8th in the morning. Thursday. Thursday. Would that give you enough? We do the amendment. Yeah, that would you can have everything. You're going to do the work before and know where it's at. So you can just correctively

Well, let me let me ask this. Why pass it if we can fix it on the 8th and there's no difference between the two? Is that the elected official issue that Susan's talking about? Like we have to pass it. We have to pass it before the January one or pass it before the check is written. You should be pay you should be passing it before the check the January 1st. I don't want she's saying what you said. I recall her saying pass it. That was her opinion. And then resolve the issues after the first of the year. Correct. And that would result she says in her her other county they'll they'll resolve the salary ordinance as much as seven times during the year.

Yeah. So it is a procedure. To expand on my question, if we don't pass it before January 1st, does that [clears throat] cause you any problems with elected officials? are elected officials locked in at a previous if we can't change it once we adopt it. Is there a deadline to approve it? The deadline's by the end of the year. Okay. By the end of the year. So if we don't approve it by the end of the year, what happens? Well, I think we default to the salary grades that are currently in place,

but there's no check written so until the 9th. So that's what kind of what I'm saying like if we're going to pass something that's inaccurate. But he's correct. You're going to go back to the the to the 2025 salary ordinance. Yeah. The whole one of the whole purposes of this is to transfer the footing to the new salary approach. It's not perfect. We have the new structure, right? The new structure. We want to make sure that that happens. Yeah. We want to make sure it's not perfect, but it's there. Right. So once be if we get it in place by the first, we're moving along. And if they're if the elected officials are at the old salary, then they're stuck at that old salary throughout the year. Correct. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Because it cannot be amended.

I don't see that anywhere in Susan's stuff. So, she said that at some point verbally or she said it in the last meeting, did she? Okay. Yep. Yeah. Did she Okay. She said it could be resolved. We could fix the whole issue after the first of the year. Yes. That's what she said. Exactly. elected officials but it wouldn't but there's no the consequence after January 1 is what we're concerned with the consequence so after January 1 if it can be resolved there's no consequence correct other than we have to make resolution except with the elected officials

except with yeah so it does sound like if we have to do if if students at the last meeting which I'm I don't recall her saying that but if she said we have to pass it before January 1. Yes. At least for elected officials. Patrick crew members are saying it too. And then I do as well. Okay. And then and then we can change the others by January 8th, which you can write the check on the 9th, but we'll help you correct that. Give some space and time to do that. All right.

Was there I don't think there because elected officials did not fall under the new pay schedule. Correct. And we did not do we did not do we did not do a cola. So elected officials salaries are staying the same as last year anyway, aren't they? I don't believe they are. I believe some of them have went up. Which ones went up? Well, yeah, cuz it went from 40 like 8 to 49 or something. I have to look at salary order. Was that because was that because of the new the new structure?

Yes, but we didn't go they didn't go for the whole we just went for the inner and then they did a percentage. So if we pass it there's no consequence then what's the issue? What issue remains to not I said that's just my question. [clears throat] No, I mean it's probably too complicated to do this, but Well, the issue is do we pass something Yeah. to pass it before the January 1st to have to amend it later or do we await and pass the accurate right salary?

Well, and to to take the elected officials that have went up back down to where they were. How many went up? I'm sure the reporter, the treasurer. So, someone uh but here's the thing. Maybe I think most of them stay the same, but a couple of them someone based on the base position information that whiskey, right? Apart from their longevity. So, there was that. And this is part of what we wanted to do was get everything on a new footing. Yeah. What if we I mean, can we not just pass the elected official portion of the salary ordinance and then incorporate later. I mean, get a little

It's implicit. Pass the ordinance with the actual knowledge that you there may be amendments. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think there's value in putting it on the new structure, the new footing for being in the WHIS categories. The WHIS categories are all on their correct. Especially if we wait and then we can't set the entire I agree with some I agree. Pardon? I agree. If somehow we get stuck in the salary grace, we don't want to be there.

I we got to go with the advice of the attorney. Just my opinion. So the motion carries a motion that we make a vote on this. You make a motion that we approve the ordinance. Yes. With the as is with the understanding that we're going to have to make some adjustments. Yeah. You just put that in there. add requesting an amendment to your requesting clarification of the so you you all right with that Patrick making it that context

I make a motion that we pass it as is since the attorneys scrutinized this and that was the suggestion my understanding unless you all have some other viable reason that you wouldn't pass it I mean that's up to you there's seven of us to vote but if you know if we we hire these professionals to to make these determinations to keep us out of trouble and to pass this. Uh for me, I just I say we pass. I make a motion to pass this ordinance as it is. Second. Seconded. Darren. Yes. Judy going to vote.

I I'm I'm gonna wait for I think Scott. Yes. Gary. Yes. Patrick, yes. Joel, yes. Jim, no. And I'm going to abstain. Okay. Okay.

Motion passed. Darren, give it to me. I'll I'll read it into the minutes. You got the number on the top there, Darren? Yeah. Here, you can look at this slide. This is ordinance number 2025-12-04-002 county salary ordinance 2026. All right. Encumbumberances ordinance forumbrances. Do you want to bring us up to speed on that Julie briefly? So far, we've we have quite a few um incomes. I don't I'm not sure that everybody realizes what an incom is, but we do have quite a few of them.

Do they fit within our ordinance, Julia? Yes, they do. Do you scrutinize them closely? Yes, ma'am. So all the items in there have been already um committed by contract. I will send you out the sheet that I have for everyone and what they are. You sent some already. Yeah, I've sent some already. But are they generally the rule is though you it's not a new expense. It's something that's already been contracted for or committed to. This isn't a new and it's going to be

that's needs to be paid but isn't going to be in be we're not getting the bill until after the first of the year and it's already been charged. It's an expense that occurred in 2025 requesting it out of 2025 budget. That's right. 26 budget. That's right.

We are making a spreadsheet so that I will send you the spreadsheet once the spreadsheet's done. This is got two resolutions. One for uh was 000 and one for 001. Is that correct? One one is labeled 1229. The other is labeled 12:15. Well, we didn't actually even read the first one, so we did we just do the second one that I've got for today. That's done for today. And it's a 001. Yeah. Fine. That's that's actually appropriations, right? Really? What?

That's No, that's the Yeah. Yes. and government's policy. The Brown County Council of County Government. So, it's a resolution number 2025-12-29-00001 council bill number 20 an incumbrance policy of county council for county government in Brown County, Indiana. We didn't read this at all. I thought we did read some of this and Susan just went over it. Pardon? Susan just went over it. We didn't read it. Yeah. And you tabled it until today.

So, we would need to read it.

I will read it. We can discuss it. I just read the top part of it. Whereas the policy establishes procedures for the encumbrance of funds to ensure proper fiscal management, accurate financial reporting, and compliance with government and county standards. Whereas this policy ensures that goods and services received prior to fiscal year end are properly recorded and paid in a timely manner. Now be it resolved by the county council of Brown County, Indiana. Section one, all county departments must encumber funds for goods and services received on 4731 of the current fiscal year to ensure accurate representation of financial obligations and liabilities in accordance with general accepted accounting principles and government accounting standards board requirements. Section two, definitions. Encumbrance. A commitment of funds set aside to cover future expenditures for goods or services that have been ordered but not yet received or paid. Invoice, a bill for goods delivered or services rendered submitted by a vendor for payment. Fiscal year. The county's fiscal year runs from January 1 through December 31. Section three requirements. Year-end invoice submission. Invoice deadline. All invoices for goods received or service rendered honor before December 31 must be submitted to the auditor no later than 400 p.m. on the last business day before December 31. Documentation requirements. Each invoice must include A original vendor invoice with detailed description of goods services. B proof of receipt or delivery packing slip receiving report or confirmation. C submitted unapproved county claim form. Three, eligible expenses. Only goods received or services completed by December 31 are eligible for encumbrances in the current fiscal year. B. Payment timeline

one. Payment deadline. All properly encumbered invoices from the prior fiscal year must be paid by January 31 of the following fiscal year. Two, processing of priority. The finance department shall prioritize the processing and payment of year-end encumbered invoices during the first month of the new fiscal year. Three, vendor communication. Departments must inform vendors of this payment timeline when placing orders in the fourth quarter. Section four, department responsibilities. A department heads must one monitor departmental spending throughout the fiscal year to ensure sufficient budget availability. Two, ensure all goods and services are received and properly documented before December 31. Three, submit complete invoice packets to auditor by the established deadline. Four, verify accuracy of all invoices and supporting documentation. Five, maintain communication with vendors regarding year-end delivery and invoicing schedules. B, the auditor must one, communicate year-end deadlines to all departments by November 1. Two, review and process submitted invoices for completeness and accuracy. Three, establish proper incumbrances in the financial system by December 31. Four, process payments for encumber items by January 31. Five, reporting any discrepancies or late submissions to department heads and county council. Section five, exceptions and special circumstances. Eight, utility services. Ongoing utility services, electric, water, gas, telephone may be estimated and encumbered if actual invoices are not available by the deadline. Adjustments will be made when actual bills are

received. B. Emergency situations. Emergency expenditures approved by the county council may receive expedited processing with proper documentation of the emergency circumstances. C. Contracts with milestone payments. Multi-year contracts with payments scheduled based on completed milestones must encumber only the portion earned by December 31. Section six, con consequences of non-compliance. A late submission invoices received after the deadline for goods services from the prior year will be charged against the new fiscal year's budget and may result in budget shortfalls. B. Incomplete documentation. Invoices with incomplete or incorrect documentation will be returned to the department and may miss the incumbrance deadline. C. pattern of non-compliance. Departments with repeated non-compliance may be subject to one, enhanced monitoring and earlier submission deadlines. Two, require required preapproval for fourth quarter purchases. Three, report to county council regarding budget management concerns. Section seven, year end calendar. A, November 1, auditor notifies departments of urine procedures and deadlines. Excuse me. B, December 1, department heads confirm outstanding purchase orders and expected delivery deliveries. C. December 15th, department heads should have received all goods, services intended for current fiscal year. D. Last business day before December 31 by 4 p.m. final deadline for invoice submission to auditor. E. December 31, auditor completes all encumbrances in financial system. F January 31,

all encumbered invoices from prior year must be paid. Section 8. This policy is authorized by the county council and administered by the auditor. This policy shall be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to maintain compliance with applicable accounting standards and legal requirements. Section 9. This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication all as provided by law adopted by the council this 29th day of 2025. That is the resolution. Questions, discussion, sn remarks.

You got one. Go ahead. Who's the finance department? Pardon? Who's the finance department? That's [clears throat] who's the finance department? I would say that's my office. I would think so. Should that be clarified in terms of a different term? You don't use that term. So, yeah. Where'd we get this, Susan? Mhm. So, we got to find it on here right after you start reading it.

Right after You too. Well, here.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. P2 processing priority. The finance department shall prioritize the auditor's office. Yes. Good catch, Teresa. So now says pri processing priority under payment deadline. The auditor's office shall prioritize the processing and payment of year and encumbered invoices during the first month of the new fiscal year. Anything else? I entertain a motion to approve the resolution. I will make a motion to approve the resolution with the modification referring to the changing any reference to the finance department changing that to the auditor's office.

I'll second Aaron. Yes. Judy, yes. Scott, yes. Gary, yes. Patrick, yes. Joel, yes. Jim,

no. [clears throat] Okay, motion passed. Next item is the CBC appropriations which based on the uh we may want to make some changes to. You want to talk about that Kevin or

I can run through it real quick. I think we need to just uh based on the encumbrance policy and um it looks like only one of these is going to be able to be included in the additional because the services will not be rendered in 2025. And so the one that would qualify as the pump track um and the others um will not be rendered or provided in 25. So um it's 80,000 and [clears throat] uh I'm ready whenever you are to make a motion.

Okay. When the 80,000 come under three 30,000 other services and charges or 40,000 capital outlays probably the capital outlay. We've got two categories here. What total we originally had 275,000. We had 115,000 under other services and charges and 160,000 under capital outlays be under the capital I would think. Yeah, it's Yeah. So we changed that ordinance to 80,000. Yeah. From 275,000 to 80,000. Yeah.

Yeah. is doing 80,000 foot contract. Yeah. Which is being used quite a bit. Yeah, it is very popular already.

Okay. Yeah. This is resolution number. It's an ordinance additional appropriation ordinance 2025 number 12-29-0000 council bill number 21. Whereas it has been determined it is now necessary to appropriate more money than was appropriated in the annual budget. Now therefore section one be it resolved by the county council of Brown County Indiana that for the expenses of the taxing unit following additional sums of money are hereby appropriated out of the fund's name for the purposes specified subject to the laws governing the same convention visitors and tourism fund 1127 line 40,000 capital outlays $80,000 total convention visitors tourism fund 1127 $80,000 adopted by the council this 29th day of December 2025. Take a motion.

So, I've got a We're going to have to read this twice. Is that right? I think it's an ordinance. Yeah. So, I want to add a kind of a stipulation to my motion. I guess I'll just do it now. I move we pass additional appropriation ordinance 202512-29 council bill 21 and uh require the parks and recck board president to authorize any payment on the contract to meet the to ensure that all goods and services are rendered and properly documented. Is

that your understanding? discussed. Yes. Second. Okay. Motion made and seconded. Darren, yes. Judy, yes. Scott, yes. [clears throat] Gary, yes. Patrick, yes. Joel, yes. Jim, no. Okay. Being that it's not unanimous, you can Oh, no. It's the additional appropriations. Susan clarified in our last meeting that you don't have to unanimous. It doesn't have to be unanimous and you can do it. I'm pretty sure that's what she said at our last meeting. Appropriations.

She said something refer to something. I don't think it was this. I think it's the hearing has to be what you did last meeting. The hearing had to be in that switch. We did do the hearing last meeting. Correct. [clears throat] So, we read it twice and we can pass it by. I don't [clears throat] I don't know if you have to read it twice because it's sub appropriation. Yeah. Should we just to be safe? Yeah. To be safe, do it or if we do it again at our meeting on the 8th, is that going to cause a problem? Uh, do we need it? We do it. It's yeah,

we're covered. But if we don't do it, we needed it, we're not covered. So, let's just do it as if we need it and strike it later. I will make a motion to suspend the rules requiring a second meeting for a second reading if there is one if if it meets legal requirements. Okay. Second. Darren, yes. Judy, yes. Scott, yes. Gary, yes. Yes. Do yes. Jim,

no. Sorry. Okay. I don't see anything else on the agenda. The second reading. Oh yeah. Do the second reading. Second reading. G title only. Addition for

additional appropriation ordinance 2025 number 12-29-0000 council bill number 21. Whereas it has been determined that is not necessary to appropriate more money than was appropriated in the annual budget. Now therefore, this is convention visitors bureau tourism fund 1127 $50,000. Motion to approve with the same stipulation that was made in mo motion of the first reading. Second. Darren, yes. Judy, yes. Scott, yes. Gary, yes. Patrick, yes. Joel, yes. Jim,

no. Okay. Anything else? Take a motion. I move that for a roll call vote to be called including Jim Kemp to adjourn the meeting. [laughter]

You still don't know. I guess it's just a continuous game. Yes, ma'am. Trying to help [laughter] out. Did you second that? Second what? The motion to Sure. Why? There you go. Meeting adjourned.

Happy new year. Thank you. Yeah. Really? Yeah. You know, they're like the heating and cooling from 500 negotiating contract. I try to jack up five grand a year. Festival.