Central Dispatch Director David Rosenberry Thursday night requested approval from the county council for an additional appropriation of $15,000 for overtime.
Rosenberry said a second dispatcher has resigned so he will need to replace her, too. With her resignation, Central Dispatch is two dispatchers short, but three are being trained.
He said they have been one dispatcher short since March.
Jim Moyer, councilman, asked if they keep running overtime with the employees, how the employees are handling it.
Right now, two dispatchers are working 10-hour days about every day, overlapping two shifts.
The council approved the additional appropriation and the hiring of a person to replace the recent resignee.
Judge Duane Huffer requested an additional appropriation for Superior Court I for $10,000. The funds will go for court-ordered attorney.
The 2012 property tax rate for the Kosciusko Solid Waste Management District was approved at a significant lower rate than 2011.
The 2011 rate was $0.0032, and the 2012 rate will be $0.0014. This represents a reduction of $100,000 so only $70,035 will be collected for the District.
The maximum levy will not be permanently decreased by this change. Each budget year the maximum levy is returned to the full amount. The county council may reduce the property tax collected each budget year.
In other budget matters, the council approved the 2012 county budget as previously discussed and the 2012 salary ordinance. The budgets of Warsaw, Silver Lake and Winona Lake also were reviewed and approved.
Auditor Marsha McSherry provided the annual Declaration of County Tax Rates, which the council approved. For 2012, the County Option Income Tax rate will be $0.007, and the County Economic Development Income Tax rate will be $0.003.
In his report, County Administrator Ron Robinson said the Lake Street roundabout project is moving along. The road is closed now at Walnut Creek Bridge.
However, Robinson said, all the businesses along Lake Street are open, including Penguin Point West, Dollar General, Little Hawks, H& L Motors and all the others. People think they can’t get to them, but Robinson said they can.
Work on the Walnut Creek Bridge approach will last until about November, he said.
The county council present included President Tom Anglin, Larry Teghtmeyer, Brad Tandy, Doug Heinisch, Jim Moyer and John Kinsey. Bob Sanders was absent.
The council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 in the county courthouse.
