Council OKs 2010 budget

The Jay County Council approved the 2010 budget on its first reading Wednesday and will likely pass it in two weeks.

The council reviewed the budget, which it cut back to a general fund balance of $6,203,944.

The original budget presented to the council in August was about $6.67 million but the council, predicting uncertainty in 2011 due to property tax caps taking effect that could severely limit county revenue, trimmed it back.

Cuts in the 2010 budget included equipment accounts for county departments and removal of substantial money put in by Sheriff Ray Newton in anticipation of the new, expanded wing of the Jay County Jail opening later in the year.

The council will review the budget a second time on Sept. 23 and if there are no objections, will ratify it at that meeting.

In other business Wednesday night, the council:

•Approved appropriations of $960, $533.65 and $11,922.28 for the public defender's office for payments to attorneys from outside the department who are still handling cases.

•Approved an appropriation of $2,500 to pay for court appointed doctors. Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison said the money is used to pay for psychiatric reviews that must be made when a defendant plans an insanity or incompetence defense.

•Approved a transfer of $16,857.56 in the infrastructure fund, which was paid for replacement of wells at the county retirement home.

•Forwarded an abatement request from Bell Aquaculture, Redkey, for review by the Jay County Tax Abatement Advisory Committee. Bell plans to add equipment for a fertilizer business, which will be made from fish remains, and for metal-testing equipment. The additions should create 10 new jobs.

•Signed a correcting resolution. The Jay County welfare fund was accidentally paid an additional $50,000, and the resolution acknowledges the mistake was caught and the money was repaid to the county's funds.[[In-content Ad]]