The Kosciusko County Council will meet Monday evening to review a 7-percent countywide payroll cut.
County Auditor Marsha McSherry said the council will hold a special session at 7 p.m. in the old courtroom at the county courthouse.The meeting is open to the public.
Thursday, the council voted unanimously to cut salaries to county employees by 7 percent.
Judges, county prosecutor Steve Hearn and probation officers were exempted from the pay cut because state statutes determine their salaries.
Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert also didn't have his salary cut. In 2007, Goshert froze his salary for his term at $94,993 a year and signed a contract.
Council President Harold Jones said the council will look at available money in the county's rainy day fund.
Jones said the council was unaware using money from the fund was an option as it wasn't a revenue stream.
"Criticism follows us sometimes," said Jones, "and that's a part of it."
Jones also shot down rumors published on a local Web site. The report stated Jones might be resigning as council president.
"Absolutely not," said Jones when asked if rumors of him stepping down were true.
The council received criticism since its decision last week to cut county employees' salaries.
Last week, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department notified media throughout northern Indiana that didn't attend Thursday's council meeting about the pay cuts.
The Times-Union and Milford Mail-Journal were the only media outlets present at the council meeting Thursday where the pay cut was approved.
Before Tuesday's county commissioners meeting, about 100 county employees protested the payroll cut.
At the commissioners meeting, Goshert, Hearn and KCSD Capt. Aaron Rovenstine spoke about being blindsided by the decision and voiced their displeasure.
The council is dealing with a $3.5 million budget deficit, and noted during their meeting last week the cuts wouldn't balance the budget but only move to close the gap.
The county employs about 350 people.
The proposed payroll cuts wouldn't take effect until Jan. 1.
