July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Cuts made on JC budget (8/12/04)
Council gets past $300,000 mark
A reduced increase in salaries, a conservative fiscal approach the remainder of 2004 and other, smaller cuts from a variety of sources has Jay County’s 2005 budget right where it needs to be.
Members of the Jay County Council, who needed to trim about $300,000 from 2005 budget requests, exceeded that amount as they wrapped up back-to-back budget hearings Wednesday.
The cuts were necessary to reduce the amount requested to the maximum amount allowed to be raised by the state and still maintain an operating balance, or reserve, of $1.2 million in the county general fund.
Most county employees — both those in the pay plan and those outside of it — will see an average 4 percent raise for 2005. That is less than the 6 percent raise previously considered by the council.
That reduced increase represents a savings of $113,000 out of total budget requests of about $7.7 million.
Part-time workers will not receive an increase in hourly wages in 2005.
Also given formal approval Wednesday was the amount to be paid per-month per-employee for health insurance coverage. That amount will be $446 in 2005, an increase of $20 over this year.
About half of the “cuts” ($175,000) will actually come this year, as the council, with guidance from Jay County auditor Freda Corwin, agreed to limit the amount of additional appropriations — or money moved out of reserves and into line items where it can be spent.
Corwin had projected additional appropriations of $200,000 for the county general fund and $150,000 for the Jay Emergency Medical Service fund for the remainder of this year.
Council members Jack Houck, Marilyn Coleman, Andy Schemenaur, Gerald Kirby and Todd Wickey agreed to limit themselves to $100,000 in additional funds from county general and $75,000 from JEMS the remainder of this year.
By spending less than projected this year, it has the effect of making a cut from the 2005 budget because the money will be available.
Also trimmed from the budget was $50,000 for election equipment; $2,400 from the treasurer’s budget; $1,950 from the health department; and $8,620 from the coroner (not including salaries).
All salary requests will be adjusted to reflect the 4 percent increase.
The most animated discussion Wednesday came during review of the budgets of the township assessors.
For the third consecutive year, Pike Township trustee/assessor Robert C. Lyons argued for a larger salary increase. For the third consecutive year, he was turned down.
Lyons said Wednesday that while all of the assessors deserve more than a 4 percent raise, Jefferson Township Assessor Jerry Monroe deserves it the most.
Paradise Pointe RV Resort Inc. is located in Jefferson Township, giving Monroe about as many assessments to make as the county’s two most populous townships — Wayne (Portland) and Richland (Dunkirk and Redkey).
There are almost 450 sites available at Paradise Pointe, Monroe said. He added the assessment process is more difficult because many of the camper owners live out of county or even out of state.
“The assessing process is a pain in the fanny,” Lyons said. “Last year you said no, so I’m back again.”
Members of the council agreed with Lyons and Monroe, who was also in attendance Wednesday, but wondered about the ramifications of singling out individual townships for higher raises in salary.
“Some of the people are elected and just sit ... and do nothing,” Kirby said. He praised both Lyons and Monroe for working hard and doing their jobs well.
Lyons, Monroe and several other assessors will be paid about $2,770 for those duties next year. Each of the assessors (except in Richland and Wayne townships) also is paid directly through a township budget for administering poor relief in the township.
Lyons said Wednesday his pay for that work is about twice what he makes for assessing.
The council plans to ask Jonna Reece of Associated Payroll Plus for her guidance on the issue. Reece is the county’s contract personnel issue consultant.
“I think we need to explore it,” said Schemenaur.
Also approved Wednesday was a resolution approving a request for an excess levy (amount to be raised through property taxes) for the Division of Family and Children.
Local director Chris Wagner told council members Wednesday that a new state law last year forced a dramatic reduction in the local tax rate for the DFC and forced the agency to use up virtually all of its operating balance to operate this year.
He and Corwin agreed the law had a punitive effect on funds that operated conservatively and were not at or very near that maximum tax rate.
“Our budget has continually gone down year after year,” Wagner said.
Wagner said that the divisions of family and children are asking for excess levies in 70 of Indiana’s 92 counties.[[In-content Ad]]Their first look at new voting machines that will be used in local elections in November came along with some good news for members of the Jay County Council.
The council, in a brief meeting held before wrapping up initial budget hearings Wednesday evening, was told there is a very good chance that no local money will have to be spent for the new push-button video screen system, which will likely cost about $220,000.
Steve Shamo, a representative of MicroVote General Corp. of Indianapolis who demonstrated the equipment to council members before the meeting, said federal reimbursement for new voting systems is moving more quickly than expected. He said Jay County is guaranteed to receive $67,000, and should be eligible to receive another $150,000 at a later date.
Council members Marilyn Coleman, Jack Houck, Andy Schemenaur, Gerald Kirby and Todd Wickey approved a resolution Wednesday supporting the new system and also committing the county to efforts to make polling sites more accessible to the disabled.
Jay County clerk Jane Ann Runyon, who made the decision on the new system along with Jay County Commissioners, has elected to enter into a three-year lease-purchase agreement for the new system, meaning that no local money will be used.
Replacements for Jay County’s current punch-card ballot system are required to be in place by elections in 2006. The federal laws requiring the elimination of the punch-card ballots were passed in the wake of problems in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.
The second $150,000 reimbursement is tied to making polling sites compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A survey of all 20 of those sites in Jay County in May found some significant problems — mostly on the exterior of the buildings where voting is conducted.
Runyon said Wednesday some polling sites may have to be combined and/or changed to be compliant with ADA.
“There’s some things we need to do and needed to do for a long time,” she said. “We may be looking for some new (polling) places next year.”
Also Wednesday, council members approved moving money into a line item for the purchase of Tasers for eight deputies with the Jay County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Todd Penrod, who had previously discussed the purchase with the commissioners, said that eight of the “stun guns” will be purchased, giving officers a non-lethal option for dealing with unruly or aggressive people.
The weapons, which will cost a total of about $7,500, work by shooting two small probes that lodge in a person’s skin or clothing and delivering 50,000 volts of electricity. The charge tightens the person’s muscles, making them unable to move.
Each officer will be trained in the use of the weapon, and operating procedures will be developed governing use of the Tasers. Each officer is required to take a shock from the weapon before being allowed to carry a Taser.
The purchase will be made from the community corrections fund, which is money paid to the county by the Indiana Department of Corrections for housing misdemeanor offenders instead of sending them to state prisons.
Also approved was a transfer of $3,000 in the auditor’s budget from overtime to clerical. Auditor Freda Corwin said her clerical line item is almost out of money.
Members of the Jay County Council, who needed to trim about $300,000 from 2005 budget requests, exceeded that amount as they wrapped up back-to-back budget hearings Wednesday.
The cuts were necessary to reduce the amount requested to the maximum amount allowed to be raised by the state and still maintain an operating balance, or reserve, of $1.2 million in the county general fund.
Most county employees — both those in the pay plan and those outside of it — will see an average 4 percent raise for 2005. That is less than the 6 percent raise previously considered by the council.
That reduced increase represents a savings of $113,000 out of total budget requests of about $7.7 million.
Part-time workers will not receive an increase in hourly wages in 2005.
Also given formal approval Wednesday was the amount to be paid per-month per-employee for health insurance coverage. That amount will be $446 in 2005, an increase of $20 over this year.
About half of the “cuts” ($175,000) will actually come this year, as the council, with guidance from Jay County auditor Freda Corwin, agreed to limit the amount of additional appropriations — or money moved out of reserves and into line items where it can be spent.
Corwin had projected additional appropriations of $200,000 for the county general fund and $150,000 for the Jay Emergency Medical Service fund for the remainder of this year.
Council members Jack Houck, Marilyn Coleman, Andy Schemenaur, Gerald Kirby and Todd Wickey agreed to limit themselves to $100,000 in additional funds from county general and $75,000 from JEMS the remainder of this year.
By spending less than projected this year, it has the effect of making a cut from the 2005 budget because the money will be available.
Also trimmed from the budget was $50,000 for election equipment; $2,400 from the treasurer’s budget; $1,950 from the health department; and $8,620 from the coroner (not including salaries).
All salary requests will be adjusted to reflect the 4 percent increase.
The most animated discussion Wednesday came during review of the budgets of the township assessors.
For the third consecutive year, Pike Township trustee/assessor Robert C. Lyons argued for a larger salary increase. For the third consecutive year, he was turned down.
Lyons said Wednesday that while all of the assessors deserve more than a 4 percent raise, Jefferson Township Assessor Jerry Monroe deserves it the most.
Paradise Pointe RV Resort Inc. is located in Jefferson Township, giving Monroe about as many assessments to make as the county’s two most populous townships — Wayne (Portland) and Richland (Dunkirk and Redkey).
There are almost 450 sites available at Paradise Pointe, Monroe said. He added the assessment process is more difficult because many of the camper owners live out of county or even out of state.
“The assessing process is a pain in the fanny,” Lyons said. “Last year you said no, so I’m back again.”
Members of the council agreed with Lyons and Monroe, who was also in attendance Wednesday, but wondered about the ramifications of singling out individual townships for higher raises in salary.
“Some of the people are elected and just sit ... and do nothing,” Kirby said. He praised both Lyons and Monroe for working hard and doing their jobs well.
Lyons, Monroe and several other assessors will be paid about $2,770 for those duties next year. Each of the assessors (except in Richland and Wayne townships) also is paid directly through a township budget for administering poor relief in the township.
Lyons said Wednesday his pay for that work is about twice what he makes for assessing.
The council plans to ask Jonna Reece of Associated Payroll Plus for her guidance on the issue. Reece is the county’s contract personnel issue consultant.
“I think we need to explore it,” said Schemenaur.
Also approved Wednesday was a resolution approving a request for an excess levy (amount to be raised through property taxes) for the Division of Family and Children.
Local director Chris Wagner told council members Wednesday that a new state law last year forced a dramatic reduction in the local tax rate for the DFC and forced the agency to use up virtually all of its operating balance to operate this year.
He and Corwin agreed the law had a punitive effect on funds that operated conservatively and were not at or very near that maximum tax rate.
“Our budget has continually gone down year after year,” Wagner said.
Wagner said that the divisions of family and children are asking for excess levies in 70 of Indiana’s 92 counties.[[In-content Ad]]Their first look at new voting machines that will be used in local elections in November came along with some good news for members of the Jay County Council.
The council, in a brief meeting held before wrapping up initial budget hearings Wednesday evening, was told there is a very good chance that no local money will have to be spent for the new push-button video screen system, which will likely cost about $220,000.
Steve Shamo, a representative of MicroVote General Corp. of Indianapolis who demonstrated the equipment to council members before the meeting, said federal reimbursement for new voting systems is moving more quickly than expected. He said Jay County is guaranteed to receive $67,000, and should be eligible to receive another $150,000 at a later date.
Council members Marilyn Coleman, Jack Houck, Andy Schemenaur, Gerald Kirby and Todd Wickey approved a resolution Wednesday supporting the new system and also committing the county to efforts to make polling sites more accessible to the disabled.
Jay County clerk Jane Ann Runyon, who made the decision on the new system along with Jay County Commissioners, has elected to enter into a three-year lease-purchase agreement for the new system, meaning that no local money will be used.
Replacements for Jay County’s current punch-card ballot system are required to be in place by elections in 2006. The federal laws requiring the elimination of the punch-card ballots were passed in the wake of problems in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.
The second $150,000 reimbursement is tied to making polling sites compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A survey of all 20 of those sites in Jay County in May found some significant problems — mostly on the exterior of the buildings where voting is conducted.
Runyon said Wednesday some polling sites may have to be combined and/or changed to be compliant with ADA.
“There’s some things we need to do and needed to do for a long time,” she said. “We may be looking for some new (polling) places next year.”
Also Wednesday, council members approved moving money into a line item for the purchase of Tasers for eight deputies with the Jay County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Todd Penrod, who had previously discussed the purchase with the commissioners, said that eight of the “stun guns” will be purchased, giving officers a non-lethal option for dealing with unruly or aggressive people.
The weapons, which will cost a total of about $7,500, work by shooting two small probes that lodge in a person’s skin or clothing and delivering 50,000 volts of electricity. The charge tightens the person’s muscles, making them unable to move.
Each officer will be trained in the use of the weapon, and operating procedures will be developed governing use of the Tasers. Each officer is required to take a shock from the weapon before being allowed to carry a Taser.
The purchase will be made from the community corrections fund, which is money paid to the county by the Indiana Department of Corrections for housing misdemeanor offenders instead of sending them to state prisons.
Also approved was a transfer of $3,000 in the auditor’s budget from overtime to clerical. Auditor Freda Corwin said her clerical line item is almost out of money.
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