Council makes budget changes

More changes have been made to Jay County’s budget for next year.

Talk has also resumed about the lifespan of Jay County Country Living.

On a 4-3 vote, Jay County Council decided not to cut Jay County Country Living’s budget in half Wednesday after discussion about the facility’s future.

Council also made a few adjustments to its proposed 2024 budget during a special meeting Wednesday, including removing $313,500 from Jay County Commissioners’ budget and giving the Jay County treasurer and the treasurer’s first deputy a 2% raise instead of a 6% raise.

Also, council members agreed to move forward with adjusting local income tax rate allocation categories, adding an emergency medical service rate of 0.15% and reducing the certified shares rate to 1.25%. The change is a new option as of 2022 for county fiscal bodies. County auditor Emily Franks suggested the change, noting a hit to Jay Emergency Medical Service’s budget this year.

Council member Harold Towell asked about Jay County Country Living’s 2024 budget, which totals about $450,900. Looking at the $30,000 allocated for the director’s position, Towell asked about former director Melissa Blankley. (She formally resigned in June but is still serving in the role on a part-time basis. Franks noted that Blankley plans to continue helping through the end of the year until a replacement is found.)

Council member Matt Minnich prompted council to again consider the facility’s future. He said it had losses of $125,000 in 2018, $225,000 in 2019, $260,000 in 2020 and nearly $300,000 in 2021 and 2022. The current year could have losses of $240,000, he added.

“I think at the end of the day, there’s no way it will ever pencil out,” he said.

Towell pointed out council’s role to act as the governing fiscal body.

Minnich referenced Adams County’s residential facility, which recently closed its doors. He suggested council create a plan for phasing it out, with Towell suggesting a five-month closing notice.

“There has to be a plan,” said council president Jeanne Houchins.

“Yeah, and right now we have no plan,” responded Towell. “We’ve had no plan the last few years. Just keep throwing money out there is not a plan.”

Council member Cindy Bracy said there are no other assisted living facilities in Jay County she’s aware of that accept Residential Care Assistance Program funding. She noted profit from the farm ground surrounding Jay County Country Living, with Minnich pointing out the facility’s residents used to self-sufficiently farm and raise livestock and poultry on the land.

Bracy expressed interest in having a board of directors oversee the facility.

“The commissioners don’t want to do that,” said Towell. “Look at what our commissioners’ track record has been this year and last year. It’s to eliminate voices and (have) control by three people.”

Bracy suggested having a board that would consider the facility’s options. Grants could help pay for Jay County Country Living if they’re available, she added.

Houchins suggested the county could leave the budget as is for 2024 and put together a timeline to close the facility, pointing out the process would include forming a committee. Towell emphasized the need to take swifter action on the facility’s budget. He suggested cutting Jay County Country Living’s budget in half for 2024.

Council member Randy May voiced opposition to closing Jay County Country Living.

“I look at that place as a service,” he said. “I’m not for closing it down and cutting ties.”

When it came to a vote, council members Dave Haines, Minnich and Towell voted in favor of cutting Jay County Country Living’s budget in half, with Faron Parr, May and Bracy voting against. That left the tie to be broken by council president Jeanne Houchins, who asked if council could consider allocating the entire budget for 2024 and take away the funding in July if nothing is accomplished by then. Franks confirmed the county could approve an appropriation reduction. Houchins then voted against the budget cut for now and said she is in favor of working on a plan for the facility’s future.

Also Wednesday, council cut nearly $304,000 total from its proposed 2024 budget. After revisions, the budget sits at just under $22.3 million, an increase of about $1.44 million from the current year.

The largest cuts came from the commissioners’ budget. Council decided to remove $300,000 from the commissioners’ budget for contractual services. They also opted to leave Jay County Humane Society’s annual payment for animal control services at $55,000 instead of bumping it to $68,500 next year.

Franks noted the contractual services fund will be used to pay for services from Jay County Development Corporation ($130,000) and East Central Indiana Regional Planning ($100,000) in 2024. Council agreed to shrink the fund from $580,000 to $280,000 — Minnich suggested an additional $50,000 to give commissioners some leeway — with the notion that if commissioners have other plans for the fund, they can request the money from council.

Council also decided to adjust the proposed raises for the Jay County treasurer and her first deputy from 6% to 2%. Council members noted the department’s issues with balancing its books internally or with the auditor’s office, which prompted the county to seek approximately accounting support from consulting firm Baker Tilly at a cost of $35,000. (The issue, filed in an audit report in December, was a repeat problem from 2020. If the county had not resolved the issue, it wouldn’t have been able to seek state or federal grants.)

Houchins suggested freezing the treasurer’s pay in 2024, noting the position will be up for election in 2025. Council decided to instead allocate a 2% raise instead of a 6% raise in recognition of the treasurer’s first deputy. (First deputies make 75% of their elected official’s salary.)

Council made a few other small cuts, which include $2,190 from various funds in Jay County Coroner's budget. (Plans are to give the coroner a 10% raise.)

Council agreed to add a $15,000 fund in Jay County Auditor’s budget for contractual services. Franks noted the extra dollars would go toward services provided by consulting firm Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele and Associates. Council also added another $2,000 in Jay County prosecutor’s budget for witness fees and another $600 for office supplies in Jay County recorder’s budget.

Council also was made aware of a request for Jay County Highway Superintendent Eric Butcher to receive a $9,000 raise. 

Council will review the budget with department heads during its budget review meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6.