Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Preliminary approval of two new county positions and disapproval of the fair board's request for $50,000 in county aid set the tone Monday for Kosciusko County council's 1997 budget sessions.
The council voted to approve a request by the county commissioners for a secretarial position that would be shared by the county's human resources and computer system departments. The requested salary would be $19,000.
A second new position of administrator of the geographic imaging system, with a salary cap of $50,000, also was approved. The county is adopting the GIS to computerize the county's property information.
Decisions made at Monday's budget meeting were preliminary. The final county budget will be voted on in September.
Included in the commissioners' budget was a request for $53,500 for the 4-H association, and a separate item for $50,000 for the county fair board. The council approved the 4-H appropriation but unanimously passed councilman Tom Anglin's motion to deny the $50,000 to the fair board.
Most county departments requested 5 percent increases for salaries. The council will not consider salary increases until they have looked at the entire budget.
The county clerk's request for the county election board was reduced from $134,075 in 1996 to $9,985 for 1997, since 1997 is not an election year, said Marsha McSherry, clerk.
The budget for the welfare department also dropped, from $285,855 for 1996 to $226,155 for 1997. Peggy Shively, welfare administrator, said welfare reform and a strong economy are responsible for the difference.
Other requests heard by the council Monday included $30,000 for Home Health Care's indigent care; $3.3 million for the county highway department; $497,880 for the county building maintenance department; $194,514 for the treasurer's department; $491,504 for county health; $11,509 for the county service officer; and $66,132 for the Soil and Water Conservation District.
The council will continue budget consideration tonight at 6 p.m. in the courthouse, with presentations by the coroner, auditor, recorder, assessor, and township assessors and trustees.
