[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6153027,"mediaKeyId","5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf","parentId",5494915,"title","Council debates pay strategy for 2026; consultant recommends 100% of midpoint plus COLA","audioSeconds",413,"startMs",10852000,"endMs",11265000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf&start=10852&end=11265","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf/thumbnail_10852000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6153027/Henry-County/Indiana/Council-debates-pay-strategy-for-2026-consultant-recommends-100-of-midpoint-plus-COLA","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6153027-713a1abd6ef3e671e71923636239e709/orig.mp4?Expires=1770917165&Signature=SELy~EEJpKLRBqRn1TaCyVV5o~9-UXO9aofCKvEfprf-cV-zqmZL2RV1agcoLnM3JoKHo1-Q7nPFedKbw3nKu4t8mInLj2P7Y4krxe1BTA6UiKO80QcV5nQ65tD-BFq2ozJ9ofg1u0-8yGbBRYNVnYrlz-d7W7XYMiuo3Ox3pDuay~~mo00l0Pe335EPQYaGDOXkYPMDGwX34L71mXamIuHfi-AZajkr1i1okUtxhDPRXuo~a~~OdzoYwGxdtwBET~yOFS6XGWva1tPpul~uygh2uXGGe-nsNkgDoU2MmdsXJskB8jNqqWO0MLxMb2RHro4gdyQMYNhLFlZXsPQbmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Henry County IN","date","2025-07-29T03:57:28Z","article","Henry County council members debated whether to finalize raises before further cuts to department budgets, with staff citing market pressure on law‑enforcement pay and other hard‑to‑fill roles.

Shannon, relaying guidance from the county’s compensation consultant Wagner, Erwin, Shealy, told the council the consultant “cannot and will not provide any recommendation of changes to any specific department over another,” but shared a common approach the firm suggested for counties facing recruitment pressures: pay to 100% of midpoint on the market matrix plus a COLA. The consultant’s contact noted the Social Security Administration’s 2026 COLA ask of about 2.7% as a reasonable COLA estimate.

Council members said they prefer deciding general compensation philosophy before finalizing the budgets for individual departments. One council member said a policy of waiting until the last moment to allocate raises from leftover budget funds “puts employees last” and urged discussion of compensation priorities earlier in the cycle.

Staff noted that the Wagner, Erwin, Shealy midpoint calculations are typically a year in arrears, which means a department set at 97% of midpoint reflects prior market conditions. The county will obtain a memo from the consultant advising on how to blend midpoint adjustments and COLA for 2026; Shannon said he would circulate the memo to the full council.

Ending: Council members agreed to continue the compensation discussion before final appropriations, and to review the consultant memo before taking a final vote on raises.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Henry County Council Budget Workshop AM Session- 7/28/25","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and staff discussed countywide pay strategy for 2026. The compensation consultant (Wagner, Erwin, Shealy) advised using 100% of midpoint plus a cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA) — the consultant noted a likely COLA of 2.7% — as a conservative approach to retain employees amid tight labor markets.","taxTitle","Henry County, Indiana","taxId",70528,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6153032,"Highway superintendent warns of staffing shortfalls; council considers one‑time transfer from insurance reserve for bridges",1244,3586000,4830000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf&start=3586&end=4830","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf/thumbnail_3586000.jpg","/articles/6153032/Henry-County/Indiana/Highway-superintendent-warns-of-staffing-shortfalls-council-considers-onetime-transfer-from-insurance-reserve-for-bridges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6153032-d4552a7a145f00d17a9d16aad69aa712/orig.mp4?Expires=1770917165&Signature=WiLCs~xyDUP-nziSAC-uO-8ZDJ49Vh2isze-ahW7AMqJaVr0oD9MAHybr1m6OKdsUySk2AMV5do0je4oIxIy~XbUYtbmtZkXa-4pap6lIbofj6NL5XhOyafGXzAjFHa1caMef1hmfBlPmA5au7aKuD3YIU~Rb32Bt4hRSCLqKV5318P7wnUqPHg-9byRXz5wLb-f5aosHIDqqFxJeWaVW6nfowx40ssFqu1d0IgHJtsedOJ7dYG1-obhewoLasS4njMa9Jz5gZO53n21eaVvpEMKkalhrt9AcAJHk10KeCVVqawW-4j0Yav6bbdddwIAP4y~lX5Tvz09VFFBuFfdww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Henry County’s highway superintendent told the council the department is understaffed and that recruiting difficulty is increasing the county’s reliance on contractors and constraining maintenance work.

Braden, the highway superintendent, said the department is short two crew leaders, two truck drivers and one laborer, and that two other employees are out on short‑term disability or workers’ compensation; in total, he said the department is about seven employees short of a fully staffed complement. “We’re short in truck right now...we're short 2 truck drivers at this time, and we're short 1 laborer,” Braden said, and added that the department has 23 on‑staff positions when fully staffed, compared with historical staffing levels above 30.

Those shortfalls matter for capital and maintenance planning. County Engineer Joe described bridge and culvert costs the council faces: large culvert replacements and small bridge work can quickly total hundreds of thousands of dollars per structure, and full bridge replacements (including design, permitting and construction) can approach or exceed several hundred thousand dollars before federal/state matches.

Council member Chad proposed a one‑time transfer from the county’s health‑insurance fund surplus to the bridge fund as an interim fix to pursue federal-aid matches or to perform urgent maintenance. Chad said, “My thought was...we consider lowering that in the general fund and giving the road the street the bridges a onetime shot of money.” He and others discussed a placeholder figure of $500,000 that could be used as match or direct local projects; Joe estimated $500,000 could fund several culverts or a small bridge plus overlay work, and that using federal-aid programs (80% federal match on eligible projects) could stretch the local dollars further.

County staff cautioned that the insurance fund is self‑insured and carries a statutory deductible (historically large) for claims; staff said the health‑insurance reserve is currently strong, above 70% of annual outlays, but warned the move should be a one‑time measure because large unexpected claims could quickly erode the reserve.

Ending: Council members asked highway leadership and staff to prioritize critical projects, to pursue federal‑aid opportunities where appropriate, and to return with a clearer list of candidate bridge/culvert projects and required local match if the council wants to pursue a one‑time transfer.","The highway department said it is short multiple truck drivers and crew leaders, which constrains in-house work and increases reliance on contractors. Council members suggested a one‑time transfer from the county’s health‑insurance reserve to supplement bridge and culvert work and to help pursue federal matching funds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6153037,"Sheriff’s budget, part-time staffing and inmate medical costs drive higher jail budget request",300,8070000,8370000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf&start=8070&end=8370","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf/thumbnail_8070000.jpg","/articles/6153037/Henry-County/Indiana/Sheriffs-budget-part-time-staffing-and-inmate-medical-costs-drive-higher-jail-budget-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6153037-e06f65d536cd2c3cacd080b5c67c070f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770917165&Signature=NNoB4I8O3J-BGIKdn8t19Ibt54YObKjcDe4Q0q1Wi2P4pdNXOdS1Gn9ArOkfzA-FK-WGTNQvXYGygLD91r06A7-dAPOPfkX2ayflCvTa12VqXq4Bo3phud5cHPo54n2cxtxuxOvKpmusfNdvsLSbAfA6fDvAoIsJIg~mGegRy0tX0ONwMKM11PwbMiE5ny~tgjOnDs5I32Pk-obonOp-xA-TuQmzJsNre1WSIv5RaLE097XHCe9KJVPm5WG~nHY1xvrK~4Iv5Sze6Oy97gTHr4VNrgoq2SyQHHCpruLBFxfLSVbvraLeEpTIOXAJ9oKnmsn2j07uD7b6BYmmjaYdqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County budget staff and the sheriff’s office told the council that jail-related costs—especially inmate medical expenses and part‑time staffing for control-room operations and civil process—are the main drivers of an increased jail budget forecast for 2026.

The sheriff and his staff explained part-time wage increases and legacy budgeting practices made the part‑time line hard to interpret. The county split one large “part time” line into three line items to make the spending clearer: (1) control-room attendants, (2) civil process, and (3) other part‑time jail personnel. The reallocation reduced the appearance of a single $572,470 part‑time bucket into more specific, accountable lines.

On inmate medical, staff said the jail’s 2025 budget set $650,000 for inmate medical costs. As of the midyear printout the county had spent about $447,350 against that line; roughly $80,000 of that figure came from invoices carried forward from 2024. Sheriff’s office staff warned the council that contracted medical billing and monthly advance payments to a vendor (UCC) complicate cash-flow timing, and that actual 2026 costs will depend on contract renegotiation and the jail population. The sheriff noted the jail population has declined but the monthly contract payments are the same whether the facility houses 250 inmates or 160 inmates.

Sheriff’s office staff identified the part‑time raises and emergency detention costs as major contributors to the higher part‑time projection. The sheriff said, “The raise is really what, was the biggest factor” in the higher 2026 part‑time projection. The county also noted some part‑time positions functionally operate as full‑time roles (for example, control-room attendants) and recommended reclassifying or reporting them in discrete line items for transparency.

Council and staff flagged secured juvenile beds and juvenile detention as a budget pressure. The council heard that some out‑of‑county juvenile placements can cost thousands of dollars per day; staff cautioned that placement availability and rates can change quickly and may require midyear additional appropriations.

Ending: Staff will track year‑end carryover invoices, continue billing insurance for emergency detentions where feasible, and may return with additional appropriation requests if contracted medical costs or juvenile placements exceed the current budgeted amounts.","The sheriff’s office and jail have sought higher budgeted amounts for part-time staffing and inmate medical services; county staff separated several part‑time cost centers to make oversight clearer and warned the council some jail-related lines may require additional appropriations before year end.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6153042,"County financial consultant: Senate Bill 1 and assessment trends could push public-safety LIT toward shortfall",215,41000,256000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf&start=41&end=256","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5494915-949b3f59551a471f6c7b08f304000dbf/thumbnail_41000.jpg","/articles/6153042/Henry-County/Indiana/County-financial-consultant-Senate-Bill-1-and-assessment-trends-could-push-public-safety-LIT-toward-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6153042-3c6fabb8d24d60cc18f575c986c1dd9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770917165&Signature=bVYiaEMaghDjmZus7sUmU9De3tGW~P5raFean-4jIBSUrc0PhERTyAwbqOdrCx~8gBez8XjoUBpylXQZWtfxXbH~TD3Jkw~mfzCYFoY-ql8mecqrKTbDwcXRGhMhjLAS8vE2it3cki6eI1f7nAYsYSJpDxDS4MoHAgbed1tmZFxdTtfEOqZpsjR1lahwGGFk7T6r5QNuqBXOV~bSa8BQ~mWu1Gq7iM1W1FbrFVUzqkvKY75gC0aLnFoGjvs8UvLd~NqYjEyzBjGP4n8o8U7cTqpkRflIr2eM00kUH4wjYpw3LpJAFtO1AdCRme95qEpt69DfNV6IGv-MYGzrHIHbwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Henry County budget advisers told the county council during a budget session that the county’s public-safety local income tax (LIT) is sensitive to assessment trends and recent state law changes, and could face shortfalls by 2027–2029 if assessments do not grow or legislators do not tweak Senate Bill 1.

Jason, the county’s Baker Tilly financial consultant, told the council the model is “very sensitive to the change in assessments” and that reductions phased in under Senate Bill 1 will have a larger effect after 2027. He discussed scenarios showing the public-safety LIT bringing in about $2,196,000 in receipts against a $2,600,000 budgeted appropriation in 2026—leaving an estimated one-year gap of roughly $418,000 if receipts hold flat.

Why this matters: the county uses several dedicated LIT funds to pay for public safety, jail operations and related debt. The council was told those dedicated receipts helped Henry County build a larger operating cushion than many counties, but that cushion declines in multi‑year projections under current assumptions.

Baker Tilly and council members walked the group through how the state’s supplemental distribution is shrinking. Jason explained the state had historically retained a 15% cushion of income tax revenues and occasionally passed supplemental distributions to localities; the constitutional or statutory cushion is being reduced to 5%, which could eliminate a recurring supplemental the county has relied on. Jason said that shift “might mean you get 1 little bump going from the 15 cushion that you have now down to the 5%,” but that overall supplemental receipts are likely to shrink over time.

Council member Shannon offered a numeric contrast of alternate scenarios, saying, “Using Shannon's number, the operating balance would be 6% instead of your 0.82,” reflecting the sensitivity to the assumptions used for receipts. County Auditor Debbie said preliminary certified assessed value (AV) information for 2026 remains outstanding; the council will get an updated Senate Bill 1 impact once the AV is certified.

The consultant recommended the county review multiple scenarios (flat receipts, modest growth, and higher growth) and consider what level of risk the council wants to carry into 2026 and beyond. He also suggested the council decide whether to budget conservatively or present a higher “comfort level” scenario—offering to produce both a conservative and a more optimistic projection for comparison.

Ending: Council members agreed to wait for certified AVs and for additional TIF data before finalizing several levy and allocation decisions for 2026, and to revisit LIT projections when the updated figures are available.","Baker Tilly’s analysis presented to the Henry County Council shows public-safety local income tax receipts are sensitive to property-assessment changes and to state-level shifts in supplemental distributions under Senate Bill 1, leaving the county’s public-safety fund at risk of budget shortfalls in coming years.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council debates pay strategy for 2026; consultant recommends 100% of midpoint plus COLA

Highway superintendent warns of staffing shortfalls; council considers one‑time transfer from insurance reserve for bridges

Sheriff’s budget, part-time staffing and inmate medical costs drive higher jail budget request

County financial consultant: Senate Bill 1 and assessment trends could push public-safety LIT toward shortfall