County Council Meeting Notes Jan 16, 2024

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County Council Meeting Notes Jan 16, 2024

This post at Brown County Matters

Agenda County Council Meeting Jan 16, 2024. A presentation by the Sheriff’s Department (over an hour) was added to the agenda

Audio – County Council Meeting Jan 16, 2024 – Total length: 2: 06:51 https://independentvotersofbrowncountyin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/agenda-county-meeting-jan-16-2023.mp3

    • Election of Officers. Gary Huett was re-elected president. Scott Rudd as Vice president.
    • Appointments – Board and Commission positions
    • 28:00 – 1:37:45 Presentation – Sheriff’s Office
      • This was the “third” presentation by the Sheriff identifying the need for additional funding. The amount he requested was $319, 324. I do not know if this included benefits and other payroll costs.  The shortfall is around 10K per person – deputies, jailers, and dispatchers.
      • There were 21,159 calls to dispatch. The breakdown by categories of these calls was not identified.
      • The decline in the number of law enforcement personnel within the state and nation has led to higher salaries and Brown County is not competitive. For example, we can spend 100K or more to train-up a new deputy who then leaves when they are offered 10K more by another county.
      • There is legislation being “proposed” to provide some reimbursement to counties that lose personnel due to “poaching” by other departments.  Given our lower salaries, we cannot poach from other departments.
      • Other county departments are also underpaid when salaries are compared to surrounding counties and employees feel that they too should be getting increases.
      • The council will be holding a working session to discuss options with the new budget consultant/advisor.
      • The county just does not have the money.  Payroll money is limited which leaves hiring freezes, and staffing cuts as options to provide the money for higher pay.
      • New Revenue?  Eliminating health insurance benefits (around 18K per person) for part-time personnel – including commissioners and council might help.
      • Excess profits from the Music  Center could also be helpful. Currently, 75% of the excess profits are to be given to the Community Foundation and only 25% to the county.  The Music Center Management Group is planning on giving 200K to the Foundation this year and 67K to the county.
        • County personnel may be able to appeal to the foundation to help cover the costs of government.
      • Another option is for more revenue from the innkeeeprts tax to be used to fund the Music Center’s operating expenses which could lead to more excees profits available to county government – 500K to 1 million?  This would require a change in the Admin Agreement.  More info at the following:
    • 1:39 – Scott Rudd – Indian Hill Railroad Crossing.  INDOT treating the re-opening as new which does not require INDOT to provide any funding.   The county is morally obligated to fund this re-opening due to the failure of our commissioners and legal council to perform their due diligence.  Legislation is being proposed to add specific language in a statute to require a public hearing for any railroad crossing.  Commissioners who voted to close the crossing were Jerry Pittman, Diana Biddle, and Dave Anderson. More info at: Link:
    • 1:40:30.  Highway Superintendant.  Money removed from the highway budget was replaced.
      • Funding for new (?) positions was tabled.  This included a supervisory position. The commissioners discussed adding a new position but new a position description has not been approved by the commissioners.
      • Sherrie Mitchell questioned if money was being transferred from funds needed to repair roads and bridges to payroll. Her follow-up with the state board of accounts reinforced that money from the funds could be used to cover an employee’s labor costs to work on a road/bridge repair project.
      • Mike Magnor identified additional staffing is needed.

Updated Notes – May 2, 2024.

    • Audio – Discussion on Highway Position Funding begins at 1:40:30
    • Highway Superintendant.  Money removed from the highway budget was replaced.
      • Discussion on funding for unfilled positions … including a supervisory position ….
        • (The commissioners had discussed adding a new position ..- an assistant supervisor but the position exists – just not filled.
    • 1:46 37 Magnor- Request to fund 6 positions(4 are existing employees)
      • Kemp suggested open positions remain unfunded ..(Fund existing – leave other 2 open and unfunded.) …. Rudd – I thought we did that last time ….
      • Judy Powedrill Swift – in salary ordinance but has to be appropriated
      • Byrd – questions Kemp’s concerns – Kemp references to organization development issues, and need for business planning.
    • Mike Magnor identified additional staffing is needed. Not all 19 positions filled – more efficient without … voluntarily not filled ….
    • Redding – asking for clarification on funding sources …  3
    • 1:53:99 Rudd –  approve funding for 3 existing and one new hire (mechanic)  ..    Redding asking for clarification ….  (unspent money stays in the county). Kemp wants money to accumulate …
    • Motion and Second …

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