Kosciusko County Council wrapped up the county’s 2025 budget by adopting the ordinance for it on second reading Thursday evening.
The first reading of the budget ordinance was held Sept. 12.
The general fund advertised amount is $33,006,557. It is expected to raise $14.8 million of that through taxes. The assessed value estimate is $7,683,102,659, with an estimated rate of $0.1926 per $100 of assessed valuation.
The health fund advertised amount is $1,296,775. The property tax levy estimate is $1.5 million, with an estimated property tax rate of $0.0195.
The cumulative bridge fund advertised amount is $1.46 million. The property tax levy estimate is $1.5 million with an estimated property tax rate of $0.0195.
The reassessment fund advertised amount is $609,332. The property tax levy estimate is $800,000 with an estimated property tax rate of $0.0104.
The cumulative capital development fund advertised amount is $4,155,200. The property tax levy estimate is $3 million with an estimated property tax rate of $0.039.
After adopting the 2025 county budget, the council also adopted the 2025 county salary ordinance as presented.
Another 2025 budget before the council to approve was for the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District, which they OK’d. Council President Mike Long said the budget was $450,721, with an adopted tax levy of $286,283 and the adopted tax rate of $0.0037.
Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith and Chief Deputy Chris McKeand presented five requests to the council, all of which the council approved.
The first was a salary ordinance amendment for members of the Sheriff’s Merit Board to be paid $100 per meeting. The board has five members.
Another salary ordinance amendment requested by Smith was for a food service employee with four years of experience to be paid $39,510 annually.
McKeand presented the $95,000 additional appropriation in the opioid restricted fund. The funds will be used for the jail’s Kosciusko Community Recovery Program to pay for two peer recovery coaches and the tracking software for staff to be able keep data on inmates’ therapies and other matters.
“That will be contracted services for the peer recovery coaches, actually back embedded in the jail for KCRP, and the tracking software that will go along with the program so we can track the numbers and give you better statistics that go along with the program itself,” he said.
The other two items McKeand presented were appropriation adjustments requests - insurance reimbursement for a 2021 Ford Explorer for $23,650 and insurance reimbursement for a 2018 Ford Explorer for $8,900.
McKeand said the 2021 Ford Explorer was involved in an incident sustaining damage from water during a storm earlier in the summer. The 2018 Ford Explorer was involved in a vehicle-deer collision.
County Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter requested permission to apply for the Emergency Management Performance Grant through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for salary reimbursement totaling $51,847. No match is required. The council approved his request.
County Auditor Alyssa Schmucker presented the 2025 interlocal agreements with the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission and with the Solid Waste Management District. The KCCRVC pays $500 annually for the auditor to serve as their board secretary, while the Solid Waste Management District will pay $10,000 in 2025 for a number of services by the auditor’s office, an increase from $6,000. The district had been paying $6,000 since 2000.
Both agreements were approved.
The final item before the council was an adoption of policy for the county auditor to sign transfers and appropriation adjustments under $10,000. Previous auditors have been able to do that, and the council gave the same approval to Schmucker. The council still sees all the paperwork for the transfers and adjustments.
The next regular council meeting will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 14.