COUNTY COUNCIL
BUDGET HEARINGS
AUGUST 22, 2011 AT 8:00 A.M.
ATTENDANCE:
COUNCIL MEMBERS: Darrel Thomas, President
Keith Berry, Vice President
Larry Parker
Roger L. Deck
David Fuhrman
Phillip Gick
Joseph Fogle
COMMISSIONERS: Gene Beck
Kristina Warren
Nancy Fogle
AUDITOR: Stephanie Campbell
The County Council met for budget hearings on August 22, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. at the courthouse annex. Darrel Thomas opened the meeting and the pledge to the flag was given.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
The Council made a general discussion of which funds they could use to make budget cuts. The funds suggested: were the Rainy Day Fund, EDIT, Sale of the County Home, and the Health Insurance Trust. Discussion was made to use $390,000 of the Health Insurance Trust fund. And, to cut the 2012 budgets by 5%, which would be a total of $752,000. A discussion was made to not approve additionals and to not do any more rehiring of positions, if they affect the levy.
Bill Dory talked about a family owned company called Phoenix Closures. Mr. Dory also discussed a resolution with Lone Star, known as Buzzi Unicem and Dixie Properties LLC, Cash Concrete Products, Mark & Phyllis Legan, Legan Livestock & Grain, Magic Circle Corp, Altra Indiana LLC, Poet Biorefining. Dave Fuhrman made a motion to approve the resolution. Keith Berry seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Dave Fuhrman made a motion to apply $530,000 from the sale of the County Home to offset the $750,000 over levy and to leave the 2012 budgets the same as the 2011 budgets. The motion died due to lack of a second.
Keith Berry suggested they go through each of the budgets submitted. Darrel Thomas feels they would need to cut 5% from the budgets and that nothing has been set in stone at this point. Larry Parker said he felt there should definitely be a hiring freeze.
CIRCUIT COURT
Judge Headley came to the budget meeting. He had cut his budget in 2011 by 10% as requested but he warned them that he will probably be coming back to ask for part of it back because he has some excessive expenses coming up. Judge Headley discussed the different ways to save with the Rainy Day Fund and making the County General’s operation balance smaller. He also suggested getting rid of non-essential departments and to change the law on the Hazardous Waste Fund. The budget for Circuit Court was left alone.
SUPERIOR COURT
Judge Bridges came to the budget meeting and asked about a contractual person leaving and wanting to find a replacement. He had met with a representative from West Group Law and cut $8,000 for law books. The budget for Superior Court was left alone.
ADULT PROBATION (COUNTY GENERAL & USER FEES)
Teresa Parrish came to the budget meeting and said that she can take $4,000 from repairs & maintenance in her county general budget and move to the user’s fees budget for a total of $5,000 for repairs & maintenance. The Council cut the county general budget by the $4,000 and allowed the $5,000 allocation for repairs & maintenance in user’s fees budget.
JUVENILE PROBATION
Renee Marsteller came to the budget meeting. The budget was left alone.
PUBLIC DEFENDER
The Judges came to the budget meeting. The budget was left alone.
SATP
Teresa Parrish came to the budget meeting. The budget was left alone.
CLERK
Clerk Marty Watts and Chief Deputy Heather Gilbert came to the budget meeting. Ms. Gilbert handed out a summary of 2009-2011 of revenue and case loads. The Clerk’s office has IVD money and it is restricted on how it can be used. There is a portion of money that is reimbursable back on what is spent on IVD cases. The Clerk can pay the part time out of the 056 fund. Heather Gilbert discussed an honor rule ordinance to add fees to tickets and court costs that aren’t paid. The Council cut $18,700 from part time help account since it could be paid from the 056 fund suggested by the Clerk.
ELECTION
Clerk Marty Watts came to the budget meeting and discussed the 2012 presidential election. They can use the Title III federal fund to help supplement the election since it is a federal election. The Council reduced the budget by $25,000 and to move it to the Title II Federal Government Grant Fund.
TREASURER
Sharon Owens came to the budget meeting and gave some background on her department since she was elected. The following changes were made to 2012 budget:
$8,000 is being cut from part time employee salaries
$400 is being cut from per diem/conferences
$1,000 is being added to office supplies
$700 is being added to printing of forms
$2,000 is being added to repairs/maintenance/support
This is a total of $4,700 being cut from the budget.
RECORDER
Opal Sutherlin came to the budget meeting and stated that she has one of the smallest offices and their office has generated over $105,000 so far this year. The budget for Recorder and Perpetuation Funds was left alone.
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
Sheriff Steve Fenwick, Matron Ashley O’Hair, and Joe Myers came to the budget meeting. Sheriff Fenwick stated there are 17 deputies and 11 full time positions at the jail. He said there are 4 shifts and they are going to be 12 hours days for the deputies. He informed them that Terry Stephenson retired and the position won’t be replaced.
Joe Myers said there are 150 inmates as of this morning and 70 of them are DOC. The Sheriff’s budget was left alone.
JAIL
Sheriff Steve Fenwick, Matron Ashley O’Hair, and Joe Myers came to the budget meeting. Darrel Thomas asked if eliminating a position puts them at a hardship. Sheriff Fenwick said it would.
SURVEYOR
Dave Penturf came to the budget meeting and stated that things are the same as before with the exception of the raise request. The budget for the Surveyor and Corner Perpetuation Fund were left alone.
AVIATION
Rex Eaton came to the budget meeting and announced that a new hanger had gone up and a $765,000 FAA Grant was approved. The county’s matching is $30,000. The budget was left alone.
EXTENSION
Dr. Scamahorn and Roger Weiner, Jackie Bauman and Mark Evans came to the budget meeting and stated the contractual service increased per Purdue University. The budget was changed by cutting $715 from account #10112 and moving it to 10174.
SOIL & WATER
Sue Crafton and other representative came to the budget meeting. The budget was left alone.
CEMETERY
The budget was left alone.
SALARIES
Roger Deck suggested reducing everyone’s salary by $5,000. This would be an estimated 10% reduction in budgets. Dave Fuhrman made a motion to cut each salary by $500. Larry Parker felt the Council should not cut salaries yet. Dave Fuhrman withdrew his motion.
AUDITOR
Auditor Stephanie Campbell came to the budget meeting. The budget was left alone.
ASSESSOR/RED
Assessor Nancy Dennis and Chief Deputy Charlene Davis came to the budget meeting. All of the salaries were paid out of the County General Fund. A discussion was made on how the budgets were split and when reassessment ends and in regard to the funds and revenue of the department.
GENERAL BUDGET DISCUSSION
Gene Beck made suggestions on where to cut the budgets. Nancy Fogle suggested cutting per diem and mileage. Joseph Fogle suggested no one going to conference for 2012. Darrel Thomas said a representative needs to be at the conference to obtain information and bring it back to the county. Dave Fuhrman asked if we could pull all the money for per diem and mileage from the departments and then require each department to come before them to request funding. Joseph Fogle agreed with Dave Fuhrman. They could bring a breakdown of what it would cost. Phillip Gick said that is micro managing. The budgets were left alone.
RECESS
Roger Deck made a motion to recess until 8:30 a.m. on August 23, 2011. Keith Berry seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
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Darrel Thomas, President Keith Berry, Vice President
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Larry Parker Roger L. Deck
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Dave Fuhrman Phillip Gick
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Joseph Fogle Attest: Stephanie Campbell
Auditor