County budget passes 1st reading

The 2015 Jay County budget sailed through Wednesday’s public hearing and non-binding review.
Jay County Council made no changes to its proposed budget, which totals about $15.3 million, and there was no public comment. It passed the budget unanimously on first reading, and will vote on adoption at its Oct. 8 meeting.
Council members Mike Leonhard, Gary Theurer, Ted Champ, Bob Vance, Mike Rockwell, Jeanne Houchins and Cindy Newton reviewed the budget, which at $15,280,133.11 is up about $80,000 from 2014. It includes a general fund of $6.4 million, which is down more than $200,000 from 2014.
The general fund includes $1.04 million for operation of Jay County Jail, $1.03 million for county commissioners and $858,597.20 for the sheriff’s department.
Other lines of the budget that surpass the $1 million mark are for the highway department at $2.8 million, local option income tax (LOIT) at $1.3 million and Jay Emergency Medical Service at $1.2 million.
Council also held its non-binding review of the budgets of other governmental units in the county, including the six incorporated communities, all townships, local libraries, Jay School Corporation and Jay County Solid Waste District.
Council did not have any comments or suggestions for changes.