County Antes Up Another $20,000 For AWL
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Second chances.
Not everyone gets one but the Kosciusko County Council is giving the Animal Welfare League just that.
Thursday, the council approved an additional $20,000 for the AWL's 2000 budget by a vote of 5 to 1. Councilman Jim Tranter voted against the additional money. During budget hearings in August the county council approved only $30,000.
The council will have to approve an additional appropriation at the first of the year to add the funds to the AWL account.
At one time, the AWL was seeking as much as $80,000 to $120,000 for 2000.
County administrator Ron Robinson said the AWL told him they could no longer continue operating the animal shelter without at least $50,000 for next year. Robinson is working with them on their lease agreement for next year.
Councilman Lewis Bertsch asked if the shelter still tries to keep all animals. Robinson said he believes that is no longer the case.
"When I was out there, I couldn't believe what a mess it was," Bertsch said. "There were cages stacked on top of one another."
The more money they get, the more changes they will want and the more animals they will want to keep, councilman Tom Anglin said.
Bertsch said $20,000 more is still probably cheaper than the cost to the county for running the shelter, but he didn't know if it was still a good idea.
"This may be the tip of the iceberg," Tranter said. "It may be $20,000 this year, $40,000 next year. Their policy is to keep as many animals alive as possible."
Robinson told the council the shelter is allowed to withdraw only $2,500 from their account per month.
Council president Brad Tandy said he is more inclined to give the AWL a second chance but they shouldn't come back to the council in March asking for more money.
Harold Jones, councilman, said he believes the council has received "a bad rap" over the AWL situation, even though the council never asked the AWL to run the shelter.
Tranter said AWL asked only Warsaw and no other town for financial assistance. Jones said county residents already pay for the shelter so the towns shouldn't have to give more money.
Tranter said the county provides more than money to the shelter. They also pay for the building, an animal control officer and the vehicle, he said.
"I'm not opposed to the Animal Welfare League running the shelter," said Jones. "I think they are the people who should run the shelter. They've learned a lot, we've learned a lot. I'd like to give them one more shot."
After the council approved the additional $20,000, Anglin said, "That's going to be it. They'll have to get by on that or that's going to be it."
In other business, the council approved and signed the 2000 salary ordinance. County employee wages will be set at 100 percent of the market value.
County positions that were not recommended for raises for 2000 will receive a $200 increase in pay. The county council and commissioners will receive no pay raises. Starting hourly rate for county employees will increase from $7.43 to $7.80.
Area Plan Commission, the Board of Review, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Drainage Board members' salaries will remain at $75 per meeting. Wages for assessor deputies to the trustee will increase from $67 to $70.
Level one and level two appraisers will receive a lump sum compensation when their certification is complete. Level one will receive $500 annually at the end of the year and Level two will receive $1,000. They will continue to receive their designated annual compensation as long as their certification remains current.
To be more competitive with public institutions in the area, 911 dispatchers will receive a 7 percent increase above the 95 percent market, and merit pay employees in the sheriff's department will receive 8 percent above the 95 percent of market. Merit pay employees include ranking officers and deputy marshals.
Overall, the county wage increase will be approximately $525,000 and does not take into account any change in employee classification because of seniority.
The council approved five requests for fund transfers including:
• A request for $3,000 from the full-time account for the maintenance department to the part-time account.
• A $2,000 and $500 transfer from the Superior Courts I and II office equipment account to the office supplies account.
• A request by the county prosecutor to transfer $871 and $806.69 into two payroll accounts.
• A transfer of $10,000 for the county clerk's office for purchase of software and hardware for a new filing system.
Robinson said the filing system is a space saver and if it works for the county clerk, other county offices may use it.
Robinson also requested a transfer of $7,250 from the copy machine fund to the appraisers account. [[In-content Ad]]
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Second chances.
Not everyone gets one but the Kosciusko County Council is giving the Animal Welfare League just that.
Thursday, the council approved an additional $20,000 for the AWL's 2000 budget by a vote of 5 to 1. Councilman Jim Tranter voted against the additional money. During budget hearings in August the county council approved only $30,000.
The council will have to approve an additional appropriation at the first of the year to add the funds to the AWL account.
At one time, the AWL was seeking as much as $80,000 to $120,000 for 2000.
County administrator Ron Robinson said the AWL told him they could no longer continue operating the animal shelter without at least $50,000 for next year. Robinson is working with them on their lease agreement for next year.
Councilman Lewis Bertsch asked if the shelter still tries to keep all animals. Robinson said he believes that is no longer the case.
"When I was out there, I couldn't believe what a mess it was," Bertsch said. "There were cages stacked on top of one another."
The more money they get, the more changes they will want and the more animals they will want to keep, councilman Tom Anglin said.
Bertsch said $20,000 more is still probably cheaper than the cost to the county for running the shelter, but he didn't know if it was still a good idea.
"This may be the tip of the iceberg," Tranter said. "It may be $20,000 this year, $40,000 next year. Their policy is to keep as many animals alive as possible."
Robinson told the council the shelter is allowed to withdraw only $2,500 from their account per month.
Council president Brad Tandy said he is more inclined to give the AWL a second chance but they shouldn't come back to the council in March asking for more money.
Harold Jones, councilman, said he believes the council has received "a bad rap" over the AWL situation, even though the council never asked the AWL to run the shelter.
Tranter said AWL asked only Warsaw and no other town for financial assistance. Jones said county residents already pay for the shelter so the towns shouldn't have to give more money.
Tranter said the county provides more than money to the shelter. They also pay for the building, an animal control officer and the vehicle, he said.
"I'm not opposed to the Animal Welfare League running the shelter," said Jones. "I think they are the people who should run the shelter. They've learned a lot, we've learned a lot. I'd like to give them one more shot."
After the council approved the additional $20,000, Anglin said, "That's going to be it. They'll have to get by on that or that's going to be it."
In other business, the council approved and signed the 2000 salary ordinance. County employee wages will be set at 100 percent of the market value.
County positions that were not recommended for raises for 2000 will receive a $200 increase in pay. The county council and commissioners will receive no pay raises. Starting hourly rate for county employees will increase from $7.43 to $7.80.
Area Plan Commission, the Board of Review, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Drainage Board members' salaries will remain at $75 per meeting. Wages for assessor deputies to the trustee will increase from $67 to $70.
Level one and level two appraisers will receive a lump sum compensation when their certification is complete. Level one will receive $500 annually at the end of the year and Level two will receive $1,000. They will continue to receive their designated annual compensation as long as their certification remains current.
To be more competitive with public institutions in the area, 911 dispatchers will receive a 7 percent increase above the 95 percent market, and merit pay employees in the sheriff's department will receive 8 percent above the 95 percent of market. Merit pay employees include ranking officers and deputy marshals.
Overall, the county wage increase will be approximately $525,000 and does not take into account any change in employee classification because of seniority.
The council approved five requests for fund transfers including:
• A request for $3,000 from the full-time account for the maintenance department to the part-time account.
• A $2,000 and $500 transfer from the Superior Courts I and II office equipment account to the office supplies account.
• A request by the county prosecutor to transfer $871 and $806.69 into two payroll accounts.
• A transfer of $10,000 for the county clerk's office for purchase of software and hardware for a new filing system.
Robinson said the filing system is a space saver and if it works for the county clerk, other county offices may use it.
Robinson also requested a transfer of $7,250 from the copy machine fund to the appraisers account. [[In-content Ad]]