PIERCETON — Pierceton is now looking at a budget of a little more than $1.3 million for 2024.
At its meeting Monday, the Pierceton Town Council noted it would have a public hearing on the budget at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Pierceton Community Building.
The proposed budget stands at $1,349,539, which is $306,217 less than the town's 2023 budget.
It breaks down to: $15,000 in the rainy day fund; $518,016, general fund; $20,500, local roads and streets fund; $135,900, motor vehicle highway fund; $110,000, cumulative bridge and street fund; $5,40, continuing education fund; $15,200, park fund; $15,000, park nonreverting fund; $10,000, building demolition fund; $8,000, cumulative capital improvement fund from cigarette tax; $15,000, cumulative capital development fund; $65,000, county economic development income tax; $211,000, redevelopment general fund; $3,866, opioid settlement restricted fund; $1,657, opioid settlement unrestricted fund; and $200,000 in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund.
The council also approved rolling over some unspent money from several funds for 2023. However, leaders clarified after the meeting that those monies are separate from the 2024 budget amounts even though they may be spent by the town in 2024 if the council so chooses.
The council is planning to adopt the budget at 3 p.m. Oct. 12.
The council also agreed to lend its support to Ashlee Ryman seeking to establish a wedding and event venue at the old Pierceton United Methodist Church building.
That support is needed as Ryman has to have the county OK the rezoning of the building from public to commercial use.
The council also mentioned income surveys should be going out soon to residents in Pierceton and the surrounding area. The surveys are needed as part of Pierceton’s participation in the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP).
The state created HELP to assist local governments with spending their ARPA money from the federal government on projects to better their communities. Kosciusko County was selected to participate, and county representatives invited any of the county’s cities and towns to take part as well, with Pierceton being one of the towns to join.
Pierceton wants to use monies to improve sidewalks in town and do a utility study. The state is to provide special funding to add to Pierceton’s funds if the town can prove the projects benefit a majority of people deemed lower- to moderate income.
In other business, the council:
• OK'd moving full-time deputy town clerk-treasurer Kelly Engle to part time. Her salary will still be $17.51 per hour. It also OK'd hiring Bambi Hyde as a full-time deputy town clerk-treasurer at a rate of $1,280 biweekly.
• Heard that the amphitheater at Pierceton-Washington Township Park had been vandalized, but footage was captured on the town's security cameras.
• Agreed to set the town's trick-or-treat hours for 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 31.
• Heard that OMCO is having a trunk-or-treat from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 28. People and organizations are welcome to join to hand out candy.
The council's next regular meeting is 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at the community building.