Sheriff Asks Council To Cap His Salary

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.


Kosciusko County Council approved the $94,993 salary contract for Sheriff Rocky Goshert Thursday, along with a request from Goshert to cap his salary for the rest of his term.

Goshert made his request at the meeting. He told the council if they didn't cap his salary at the current level, it would continue to increase each year. According to salary regulations, the sheriff's salary increases at the same rate as the county prosecutor's, usually at a rate of 2 or 2.5 percent each year. Goshert has three years left on his term as sheriff.[[In-content Ad]]"I know some of the situations the county's going to be in," Goshert said. "Our salary is linked to the prosecutor's, and I know it was going to go up every year. We just thought that enough was enough."

"This is a first," councilman Tom Anglin told Goshert. "We appreciate that very much."

The county will pay more into Medicaid as a result of a recent lawsuit in which a judge ruled that residential psychiatric treatment for children must be covered by Medicaid and local governments must pay the cost. The council reluctantly approved a request for an additional appropriation of $94,837 into the children's psychiatric fund of the Family and Social Services Administration to pay the extra cost Thursday, after they failed to pass a motion made by councilman Larry Teghtmeyer to turn down the request.

County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell told the council if the county does not pay, the state will withhold the county's share of property tax replacement money. The council approved a motion to approve the additional appropriation and send a letter of protest to the state legislature and Department of Local Government Finance.

Mitchell said the amount the county will pay for the new Medicaid cost each year is unpredictable because it depends on the number of children in the county who are sent to residential treatment centers. There is no cap to the amount the county can be charged.

The council reappointed John Kinsey to the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management Board, Charlene Knispel to the Area Plan Commission, Bob Sanders to Kosciusko Development Inc., Brad Tandy and Teghtmeyer to the Wage Committee and Kenneth Johnson to the Alcoholic Beverages Commission. The council postponed an appointment for the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Kosciusko County Council approved the $94,993 salary contract for Sheriff Rocky Goshert Thursday, along with a request from Goshert to cap his salary for the rest of his term.

Goshert made his request at the meeting. He told the council if they didn't cap his salary at the current level, it would continue to increase each year. According to salary regulations, the sheriff's salary increases at the same rate as the county prosecutor's, usually at a rate of 2 or 2.5 percent each year. Goshert has three years left on his term as sheriff.[[In-content Ad]]"I know some of the situations the county's going to be in," Goshert said. "Our salary is linked to the prosecutor's, and I know it was going to go up every year. We just thought that enough was enough."

"This is a first," councilman Tom Anglin told Goshert. "We appreciate that very much."

The county will pay more into Medicaid as a result of a recent lawsuit in which a judge ruled that residential psychiatric treatment for children must be covered by Medicaid and local governments must pay the cost. The council reluctantly approved a request for an additional appropriation of $94,837 into the children's psychiatric fund of the Family and Social Services Administration to pay the extra cost Thursday, after they failed to pass a motion made by councilman Larry Teghtmeyer to turn down the request.

County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell told the council if the county does not pay, the state will withhold the county's share of property tax replacement money. The council approved a motion to approve the additional appropriation and send a letter of protest to the state legislature and Department of Local Government Finance.

Mitchell said the amount the county will pay for the new Medicaid cost each year is unpredictable because it depends on the number of children in the county who are sent to residential treatment centers. There is no cap to the amount the county can be charged.

The council reappointed John Kinsey to the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management Board, Charlene Knispel to the Area Plan Commission, Bob Sanders to Kosciusko Development Inc., Brad Tandy and Teghtmeyer to the Wage Committee and Kenneth Johnson to the Alcoholic Beverages Commission. The council postponed an appointment for the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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