Sheriff Dukes Clarifies Work Release Budget Items
July 10, 2020 at 1:05 a.m.
By Teresa [email protected]
The council has been meeting in the justice building’s lower level rooms this spring, a space where they, department heads and members of the public could observe social distancing.
At the Thursday meeting:
Sheriff Kyle Dukes presented several items, including the commissary report which has a balance of a little more than $318,000. Funds from the jail commissary are used to buy vehicles, equipment and, this year, protective armor for the reserve officers.
Dukes asked that his salary for July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, be $156,137 and for July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, be $161,125 per state statute, which was approved.
The following financial transactions also were approved, with Dukes explaining this is the first time a work release budget has been established:
• a budget reduction of $20,000 for a part-time jail cook;
• an additional appropriation of $20,000 for a part-time work release cook;
• a $3,000 transfer from the county general fund from a salary for a work release officer to a part-time work release cook;
• a change to the salary ordinance amendment for a part-time work release cook;
• a budget reduction of $32,279 for a work release cook;
• an additional appropriation of $32,279 for a jail cook salary;
• a salary ordinance amendment for a part-time work release officer establishing an hourly pay of $11.11 to $17.95 per hour depending upon experience.
The council also approved Superior Court II Judge Torrey Bauer’s request for an additional appropriation of $150,000 to the pauper council.
Councilwoman Kimberly Cates asked if it wasn’t time to review whether or not to establish a public defender office. She noted the paupers council budget is nearing $500,000 per year.
Bauer said public defenders are paid $90 per hour and few lawyers wanted to work for that amount. He added that an office would have to be staffed. Also, he didn’t know of any mid-sized county that had a public defender department.
Superior Court I Judge David Cates requested a change to the 2020 salary ordinance for Circuit/Superior I and IV courts for a secretary to be paid $42,071 per year, which was approved.
Several grant applications were approved:
• Prosecutor Dan Hampton’s request to apply for a $72,035.50 2021 VOCA grant;
• Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver to apply for a $31,895 2021 Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant; and
• Emergency Management Agency Director Ed Rock’s request to apply for a $15,000 HEMP grant and a $50,000 EMPG salary request.
Extension Education Director Kelly Heckaman’s request for a general fund transfer of $3,300 from mileage, fuel and travel to 4-H STEM program assistant, which was approved.
County Commissioner Cary Groininger requested a $200,000 transfer from the economic development income tax fund for infrastructure and major improvements to a COVID-19 testing fund, which was approved. He said the money will be refunded through the CARES Act.
County Auditor Michelle Puckett noted that $70,000 was received in CARES Act funds earlier Thursday.
The council appointed Helen Hall to the Pierceton Library board.
Kosciusko County Economic Development Corp. CEO Alan Tio presented a quarterly update on the organization’s activities.
Real property abatements were approved for Louis Dreyfus Co. and Cass Holdings LLC and personal property abatements for LSC Communications and Louis Dreyfus Co.
The council discussed holding budget workshops with department heads in early August.
Heinisch asked that they come with a column indicating a 10% cut from this year’s budget, just to see what that would look like.
Cates agreed with the idea, saying those figures would make a good comparison, noting that the state government anticipates a 15% revenue reduction next year.
Wiggins said it was too confusing.
Puckett said each department head had received an email to make next year’s expenditures as slim as possible.
The council voted against the 10% column line with Heinisch and Cates voting for the addition, Long abstaining and Mitchell, Garber, Wiggins and Truex voting against.
The next county council meeting is Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. in a location to be determined.
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The council has been meeting in the justice building’s lower level rooms this spring, a space where they, department heads and members of the public could observe social distancing.
At the Thursday meeting:
Sheriff Kyle Dukes presented several items, including the commissary report which has a balance of a little more than $318,000. Funds from the jail commissary are used to buy vehicles, equipment and, this year, protective armor for the reserve officers.
Dukes asked that his salary for July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, be $156,137 and for July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, be $161,125 per state statute, which was approved.
The following financial transactions also were approved, with Dukes explaining this is the first time a work release budget has been established:
• a budget reduction of $20,000 for a part-time jail cook;
• an additional appropriation of $20,000 for a part-time work release cook;
• a $3,000 transfer from the county general fund from a salary for a work release officer to a part-time work release cook;
• a change to the salary ordinance amendment for a part-time work release cook;
• a budget reduction of $32,279 for a work release cook;
• an additional appropriation of $32,279 for a jail cook salary;
• a salary ordinance amendment for a part-time work release officer establishing an hourly pay of $11.11 to $17.95 per hour depending upon experience.
The council also approved Superior Court II Judge Torrey Bauer’s request for an additional appropriation of $150,000 to the pauper council.
Councilwoman Kimberly Cates asked if it wasn’t time to review whether or not to establish a public defender office. She noted the paupers council budget is nearing $500,000 per year.
Bauer said public defenders are paid $90 per hour and few lawyers wanted to work for that amount. He added that an office would have to be staffed. Also, he didn’t know of any mid-sized county that had a public defender department.
Superior Court I Judge David Cates requested a change to the 2020 salary ordinance for Circuit/Superior I and IV courts for a secretary to be paid $42,071 per year, which was approved.
Several grant applications were approved:
• Prosecutor Dan Hampton’s request to apply for a $72,035.50 2021 VOCA grant;
• Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver to apply for a $31,895 2021 Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant; and
• Emergency Management Agency Director Ed Rock’s request to apply for a $15,000 HEMP grant and a $50,000 EMPG salary request.
Extension Education Director Kelly Heckaman’s request for a general fund transfer of $3,300 from mileage, fuel and travel to 4-H STEM program assistant, which was approved.
County Commissioner Cary Groininger requested a $200,000 transfer from the economic development income tax fund for infrastructure and major improvements to a COVID-19 testing fund, which was approved. He said the money will be refunded through the CARES Act.
County Auditor Michelle Puckett noted that $70,000 was received in CARES Act funds earlier Thursday.
The council appointed Helen Hall to the Pierceton Library board.
Kosciusko County Economic Development Corp. CEO Alan Tio presented a quarterly update on the organization’s activities.
Real property abatements were approved for Louis Dreyfus Co. and Cass Holdings LLC and personal property abatements for LSC Communications and Louis Dreyfus Co.
The council discussed holding budget workshops with department heads in early August.
Heinisch asked that they come with a column indicating a 10% cut from this year’s budget, just to see what that would look like.
Cates agreed with the idea, saying those figures would make a good comparison, noting that the state government anticipates a 15% revenue reduction next year.
Wiggins said it was too confusing.
Puckett said each department head had received an email to make next year’s expenditures as slim as possible.
The council voted against the 10% column line with Heinisch and Cates voting for the addition, Long abstaining and Mitchell, Garber, Wiggins and Truex voting against.
The next county council meeting is Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. in a location to be determined.
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