By HOLLY GASKILL
The Wells County Council will hold its first meetings to review the 2024 Wells County budget on Aug. 10.
Department requests show a county budget totalling $23,562,190.
The council will hear requests from department leaders throughout Thursday, beginning at 8 a.m. They will meet again to discuss specific budget needs at 6 p.m. on Aug. 14.
Several department leaders provided reports with their budget requests, copies of which were provided to The News-Banner.
Highway Department
The Highway Department currently has two equipment operators but would like to hire a third to road conversion. County Engineer Nate Rumschlag recommended shifting funds from the line road conversion fund to accommodate this increase. The starting rate for an equipment operating is $24.93 per hour
“Unfortunately, with the balance of work we have and minimum safe crew sizes, this doesn’t allow the department to allocate the personnel resources in an efficient manner,” Rumschlag wrote in a memo to the council. “We don’t believe this will eliminate all issues, but this will provide some flexibility in our scheduling and help us expedite the road conversion process by dedicating a lead person to the role as Equipment Operator.”
Supervisor Shawn Bonar noted in his report that with the new facility and higher utility rates, he is budgeting for an over $18,000 increase in utility costs, up 75.84 percent from last year. In addition, insurance estimates indicate an increase of $32,300, up 46.14 percent. Software maintenance also increased from $3,250 to $10,000 to cover tracking software and higher licensing fees.
However, Bonar outlined two decreasing line items this year — $113,750 in gas, oil and lube, and $115,000 in oil and stone costs.
For upcoming projects, Bonar requested a $115,000 increase in materials for road conversions and $207,559 for the Bridge 105 project. Rumschlag noted that 80 percent of the project will be reimbursed through grants.
Election Board
The Wells County Election Board is pursuing new voting panels for the upcoming year, expected to cost $202,000.
Clerk Beth Davis previously discussed the county’s for new equipment at the council’s meeting in April, where she told the council members the existing equipment is 20 years old. The three election board members — Davis, Johnson and Larry Sell — were present and in favor of the purchase.
The board was allotted $1,500 for equipment in 2023.
Sheriff’s Department
and Jail
Sheriff Scott Holliday is requesting raises for jail staff and deputies, representing a total $315,617 increase in salaries.
Specifically, Holliday is asking for the sheriff matrix base pay increase from $54,752.33 to $60,000. Overall, the matrix will increase by $98,676, a 10.26 percent increase. Line items for overtime and courthouse staffing, as well as rising prices for equipment, also have requested increases.
Likewise, Holliday requested to increase the jail matrix base from $42,204.92 to $46,214.38. Additionally, Holliday requested two additional jailers to meet staff requirements and a $1 hourly raise for part-time positions. Altogether, the jail matrix increased by $202,563, a 16.44 percent increase.
Holliday also included a memo from Stan Brown, an actuary at OneAmerica Institutional, who is advising the county to raise its pension contributions. As outlined in the budget proposal, this would be a $112,954 increase from 2023.
Area Plan office
APC Director Michael Lautzenheiser outlined several increasing costs of operation, as well as $18,000 to cover two larger rural clean-up days. He is also requesting APC board member compensation be raised form $65 to $75 per meeting, and suggested all boards be compensated at that level.
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Additional meetings have been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 23, 24 and 29. The public hearing for the 2024 budget will take place at the council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 5. Adoption will follow at the council’s October meeting, 7 p.m. on Oct. 3.
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The following is the anticipated schedule for Thursday’s hearings with department leaders:
• 8 a.m. — Commissioners, LIT economic development
• 8:15 a.m. — Solid Waste District
• 8:20 a.m. — Highway Department, Local Roads and Streets, Cumulative Bridge Fund
• 8:40 a.m. — Surveyor, Drainage Board, Surveyor’s Corner Perpetuation Fund
• 8:50 a.m. — Health Department, Local Health Maintenance, Indiana Local Health Trust
• 9:10 a.m. — Assessor, Reassessment, Sales Disclosure Fee
• 9:40 a.m. — Recorder, Identification Security, Recorders Perpetuation
• 9:50 a.m. — Treasurer
• 10 a.m. — Custodian
• 10:10 a.m. — I.T. Department
• 10:20 a.m. — Coroner
• 10:30 a.m. — Wells County Purdue Extension Office
• 10:40 a.m. — Veterans Office
• 10:50 a.m. — EMA and Local Emergency Preparedness Coalition
• 11 a.m. — Area Plan and GIS
• 11:10 a.m. — Soil and Water
• 11:20 a.m. — Prosecutor, Pre-Trial Diversion, Pre-Trial Deferral
• 11:30 a.m. — Superior Court
• 11:40 a.m. — Circuit Court/Probation, Supplemental Public Defender Services, Jury Pay Fund
• 11:50 a.m. — Juvenile Probation, Adult Probation, Urinalysis Fee, Substance/Indigent
• Noon — Community Corrections, Project Income Fund, Misdemeanant, Community Corrections Grant II
• 12:10 p.m. — Sheriff’s Department, Jail, LIT Public Safety, Vehicle Inspection
• 12:30 p.m. — Clerk, Election Board, Clerk Record Perpetuation
• 12:40 p.m. — Statewide 911
• 12:50 p.m. — Auditor, Auditor’s Ineligible Deduction Fund, Plat Book, Elected Official Training
• 1 p.m. — Innkeeper’s Tax Collections
• 1:10 p.m. — Council, Rainy Day, Cumulative Capital
holly@news-banner.com
