Kosciusko County Council members began their first meeting of 2020 Thursday with election of officers.
Jon Garber is president this year and Kimberly Cates is vice president.
Making requests of the council were Maggie Rock-Brauer of Community Corrections, who requested permission to apply for a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – or SAMHSA – grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which was approved by the council. The grant is a reimbursement program for 200 hours of services to current inmates and after their release, like transportation to and from various meetings post-incarceration as well as to and from educational classes or vocational training.
County auditor Michelle Puckett made it clear that the county would be reimbursed expenses. Rock-Brauer said there are 25 participants in the program.
Also making a request for the courts was Judge David Cates for Circuit and Superior I and IV courts. Cates said two of the courts’ secretaries have retired, and another will leave in May. His request was for a transfer of $10,000 from court ordered attorney funds to public defender services fund and $5,000 from the court ordered services to the public defender fund will pay for the part-time services of one secretary to train her replacement, which was approved.
He also asked for a salary ordinance amendment to pay the bailiff $38,868, up from $36,373, using money from the part-time account, which was approved.
Judge Joe Sutton requested an additional appropriation of $1,651 for a court interpreter, which was approved.
County Prosecutor Dan Hampton asked for an additional salary ordinance for a part-time case worker, which was approved.
Hampton also requested permission to apply for three grants to start a child advocacy center. The grants are for $150,000 from the Dekko Fundation; $5,000 from Koscisuko REMC and $11,000 from the Zimmer Biomet Foundation.
Sheriff Kyle Dukes’ salary ordinance requests were for patrolman pay of $50,011; captain’s pay of $64,557; and three detective-sergeant salaries of $56,886 each, which were approved.
He also received an additional appropriation of $50,011 for an animal control officer with the rank of patrolman.
Courtney Jenkins, who coordinates the Jail Chemical Addiction Program at the Kosciusko County Jail, requested permission to apply for a $100,000 grant from the K21 Foundation to have male and female programs running concurrently. JCAP offers two consecutive classes for females, then two for males. She said there is a limit of 15 participants per class. She received permission to apply for the grant.
The council also approved an additional appropriation for JCAP for $26,020, monies left over from last year’s grant which were unspent.
The council tabled an additional appropriation request of $114,861 until February and a salary issue was cleared.
Bob Weaver, health department administrator, advised the board that the Indiana Department of Health has stopped providing funds for prenatal care, however, the county has funds to continue the program.
His salary ordinance requests were: $37,119 for a community health worker; $36.57 per hour for a part-time nurse practitioner; and $20.77 per hour for a part-time public health nurse along with an additional appropriation from various funds for the community health worker’s salary.
County Administrator Marsha McSherry requested a budget reduction of $52,107 from the commissioners’ animal control officer fund so that amount could be transferred to the sheriff’s budget, which was approved.
Pucket requested additional appropriations for Fire District 2’s infrastructure funds: $10,000 for training center maintenance and $10,000 for prop maintenance.
Also approved were Fire District 2’s request for additional appropriations: $36,160 for regional public safety: $3,500 for books; $5,437 for disposables training, $5,000 for a grant management agent fee; $2,000 for propane, $5,000 for district live fire training; $9,223 for live instructor hours; and $6,000 for property liability insurance.
The council also approved the 2020 interlocal agreement with Kosciusko County’s Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission for Puckett to serve as the group’s controller.
County Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty requested a budget reduction of $1.6 million from the motor vehicle highway fund and an additional appropriation in the same amount for the county general fund. The move follows new legislative guidelines to keep money for materials separate from funds for salaries.
Alan Tio, executive director of KEDCo, said he’s been working with Syracuse and county officials to improve Polywood road access on Brooklyn Street. The road is half in the town and half in the county. Tio said the commissioners approved $5,000 for half of the engineering costs of the project. The council asked for a memorandum of understanding between the two entities.
County attorney Chad Miner and Kenneth Jones, of Jones Petrie Rafinski, advised the council they can appoint two people to the Tippecanoe-Chapman Sewer District board of trustees. The order for the district has been adopted by IDEM and the respective township trustees have made their appointments. The men offered the council a list of individuals willing to serve on the board.
Garber said he would rather wait until Councilman Doug Heinisch, who represents that district, was in attendance. Heinisch and Councilman Ernie Wiggins were absent Thursday.
Truex agreed to sit on the sewer district board as an at-large member.
Councilman Mike Long brought up the council’s meeting time, saying 7 p.m. made for a long day for employees and department heads. He requested the meetings be at either 9 a.m. or moved up to 6 p.m. Garber again said he’d like to wait until the full council was seated to make that decision and the motion was withdrawn.
Cates reminded everyone about the Bowen Center’s opioid epidemic call-to-action event at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Center Lake Pavilion.
