[{"_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",5983481,"mediaKeyId","5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1","parentId",5775908,"title","Emergency management and LEPC brief commissioners on drone purchase, EOC staffing and text.gov subscription","audioSeconds",770,"startMs",150000,"endMs",920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1&start=150&end=920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1/thumbnail_150000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5983481/Vermillion-County/Indiana/Emergency-management-and-LEPC-brief-commissioners-on-drone-purchase-EOC-staffing-and-textgov-subscription","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983481-023947bac2ac60d94f59c084d3b646e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775204416&Signature=KYBz364ZajRBFkMLa9bg9jWrA55K5F9-ak~OqSytUswovHJMdpv8wJ9lwYff6V4fC1LOt89KGGzxuLK6C216LTcsxLw66aecmSwZK8kgrG6a6G9eETNeEwJmDC2hbjR~w1DtrOmmbnRin7gBP6w1QiKJvdX~TwisVuhnj6eNkHhhxkh2Pjzg95EEbAz0gi2RBZpGd8hUnDzTFws9hiIJa1JTewQChj-yd8UDOpK3Uz4v14LoysallPlmeMeUpOYwEki~xj-lhoHcTlDnb5ZWvCE1HZ6iLeMym29EG6wLMPyycf3mBLngufzfVGtpBomWVK89B4JZV0ezzdyEiAOv1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Vermillion County, IN","date","2025-09-16T06:47:41Z","article","LEPC and emergency management representatives updated county commissioners on local emergency-response funding and communications services. A LEPC representative said the panel purchased a drone with LEPC funds last year and that the unit is housed at the sheriff's office while county staff train multiple people to operate it. \"Last year, we bought a drone with money from the LEPC... that drone is at the sheriff's department, and we are currently getting people trained so that we have a drone team in the county instead of a drone guy,\" the LEPC representative said.

Why it matters: LEPC funds are dedicated to hazard planning and emergency-response equipment. How those funds are used affects local response capacity and interagency operations.

Emergency-management staff described a pending change in EOC staffing and salary lines tied to those changes. One speaker said the Emergency Operations Center salary line will change because a new manager (Jim) has taken over and the position is set as a two‑person function. Commissioners also discussed the county's 911/\"09/11\" fund, and emergency-management staff warned that the 911 fund is being drawn down: \"We are spending more out of that fund than we receive every year,\" a speaker said, and added prior estimated annual revenue at roughly $262,000.

Staff also discussed the county's subscription communications platforms. One official said they plan to discontinue a duplicative contracted service with Nixel because the county is migrating to text.gov. \"I believe it's next month is when I'll be canceling the contract with Nixel... I'm gonna send Nixel a notification come October to go ahead and not renew us for the following year,\" emergency-management staff said. The text.gov cost was discussed as about $7,000 and staff said they petitioned a state 911 board to pay for it.

Local commissioners and staff also reviewed LEPC small grants and recurring revenues; staff said the LEPC typically receives small recurring payments of about $4,000 per year tied to county size and state distribution formulas. No formal vote or motion was taken; commissioners asked staff to provide follow-up detail on 911 fund balances, the EOC staffing changes, and timelines for contract cancellations for Nixel once the text.gov migration is complete.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","PM Budget Hearing 9.15.2025","oneSentenceSummary","LEPC representatives recapped a prior drone purchase and explained funding rules for LEPC money; emergency management staff flagged EOC staffing changes and said they will cancel a duplicative vendor subscription to Nixel in favor of text.gov.","taxTitle","Vermillion County, Indiana","taxId",72478,"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},5983486,"Circuit Court seeks courtroom technology upgrades, interpreter budget and clarifies jury postage funding",1218,3967000,5185000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1&start=3967&end=5185","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1/thumbnail_3967000.jpg","/articles/5983486/Vermillion-County/Indiana/Circuit-Court-seeks-courtroom-technology-upgrades-interpreter-budget-and-clarifies-jury-postage-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983486-c6f0bf69abeef1c9796ea35fc48520a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775204416&Signature=dpkbN1BIdrvzeQGsFguuVH7X4PLfj4CtjN1ZbR-hVQX5YFWSXVeBqT54CZS0rDZz3QYU5~89THjSZ88Y0baHboAj-2V4~-F9EaDU9XO9sBVBuEC1OmQs1uI2jMeyxKclHRuLxpPFObRnk0tbljGYHsgLqupo3l75B6xV41ipNG1vFdAUG4iexBb3OWpG5KvAMsLg5WtpFWJZGBvs8TXAKOrC8dOqjJzo0weRyy36CoJqeSqf42zvCNbtPWZJEohOxscb~RNbpaGV0QKGfKw60l1UFKhCF3eFxhaDjXQBF1vC4ys7hPnmIEvdGqv5pr~MxLIppUTTVhnAw-RsCqlYkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The circuit court judge told county commissioners the courtroom's electronic systems and office computers are at the end of their useful life, and she is pursuing a court-technology reimbursement grant to pay for upgrades. \"The grant is a reimbursement grant,\" the judge said, and added she will seek council approval if the county is awarded funds.

Why it matters: Court technology failures can delay hearings, affect records and require emergency vendor support. Interpreters and jury administration are recurring costs in the court budget and must be funded from the correct statutory account.

The judge said certified court interpreters are costly but mandatory for proceedings: \"We have to use certified interpreters for hearings, and unfortunately, they don't come cheap.\" The court increased the interpreter line and has been using Zoom to accommodate remote interpreters where acceptable to attorneys. She said some interpreters can charge several hundred dollars depending on hearing length.

Court staff reported recurring computer and recording failures that have forced cancellations and vendor support visits. The judge said the current recording vendor and system are expensive and that alternative transcription systems (FTR and others) may offer comparable services at lower cost. She added recent computer crashes required borrowing hard drives and temporarily reallocating office equipment to keep the courtroom operational.

The judge also raised a budget accounting question about jury-related postage. The court has been using jury-user fee balances and a jury fund for mailing juror questionnaires and related expenses. Commissioners asked finance staff to confirm whether jury postage may be charged to the jury/user-fee fund or whether it must be budgeted in the general fund; the judge said the jury-user-fee fund carried about $84,000–$88,000 in mid‑year balance and that prior years showed significant jury-related expenditures.

On grants and other lines: the judge said the family court grant has ended and been replaced with the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) fund; ADR revenue comes from filing fees. The judge said she will apply for a court-technology grant that opens in September and expressed hope it would help replace failing courtroom electronics and reduce ongoing vendor costs. \"I'm looking to get an update on the courtroom as far as electronics... the acoustics are so bad in there,\" she said.

The judge said CASA volunteers continue to report and assist in children's‑services hearings and described them as essential to case work. No formal budget actions were taken; commissioners asked for verification of user-fee fund rules and requested details about the proposed grant and equipment replacement costs.","The circuit court judge told commissioners the courtroom recording and computer systems are failing, interpreter costs are rising and she plans to pursue a reimbursement grant for courtroom technology; jury-postage funding usage requires confirmation.",{"_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},5983490,"Probation staff cite rising training needs, juvenile placements and vehicle gaps in budget hearing",1528,2137000,3665000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1&start=2137&end=3665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1/thumbnail_2137000.jpg","/articles/5983490/Vermillion-County/Indiana/Probation-staff-cite-rising-training-needs-juvenile-placements-and-vehicle-gaps-in-budget-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983490-04cb836cba9eb5620b56f5e962956a6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775204416&Signature=eFgFIZsrkBbjwIMl8xwlIJdYB5yhTPtV08q2pwfwcMofWB5rn7D-8Q2T3nE6o~xCl081YwqMCj1tTZMmhhre6oZ2PKCaTCizG5scUDz0ciuf2Mwkf76z90VpDF9riJbcZ5lFuFhO9ley9cH1N9HbqiMVv9Bw6AUAflLICMKZMim2pb55iZayDSx-FhHQIRSquA1hOGkGp-TpuucOnaotxa5ZW6xX0yJIyYu-BHEDOxMtEDXctA1aIiWMV0lBjRe~nDwKslCdKdVvdMm0Z-LLybC9VZGG6mBN47mXFoToFaKn~JkcRUzw7UA2kibcnpk2PzypKyV-FGkxQQ7rC5Pewg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Probation staff described operational strains to county commissioners during budget hearings, citing increased training needs, limited juvenile secure-detention capacity in the region, and vehicle availability concerns. \"So far this year, we've used 26,300 (for juvenile secured detention) as of July 31,\" a probation representative said, noting last year's detention costs were higher.

Why it matters: Probation operations affect public safety, case processing times, and county expenditures for detention and community supervision. Budget choices will influence training, equipment purchases, and whether probationers can be supervised effectively in the community.

Probation staff and a judge explained a mix of factors driving the request for more training funds. A probation speaker said training now seeks to meet standards commonly associated with law-enforcement certification: \"I believe... probation is considered law enforcement. Then you have certain standards you have to meet in firearms qualification, defensive tactics...\" The department plans additional firearms and professional training for current staff and for a potential new officer.

Officials also explained that the county has sometimes had to send juveniles to distant facilities because local and regional secure beds have been full. \"We have to go all the way down to the Kentucky state line to find Vigo County is full,\" a probation speaker said, describing how closures and capacity constraints in regional juvenile facilities increased transportation and placement costs.

Vehicle availability and fleet planning were a repeated concern. Probation currently uses a surplus sheriff's vehicle with high mileage; commissioners noted the vehicle showed about 240,000 miles and is not a long-term solution. Probation staff said the department lacks a formal vehicle replacement plan and that shared vehicles are relied on for courthouse security and field visits. Commissioners discussed developing a countywide fleet plan to allocate vehicles based on program need and to avoid ad hoc transfers of worn units.

Probation also reviewed fee and user‑fee funds. Staff said the adult probation user fee fund receives initial and monthly fees ($30–$50 initial, $20 monthly depending on misdemeanor vs. felony) and that a balance exists because the fund has not been recently used for operations. Commissioners asked staff to clarify revenue lines and how fees are being used; staff said some administrative fees previously supported salary lines but have dwindled over time as many clients do not pay.

Staff proposed technology and kiosk options as partial workload tools for low‑risk clients (self‑check kiosks, breathalyzer/identity scanners) but said higher‑risk supervision still requires officer time for field contacts and report writing.

No formal budget motion was taken during the hearing; commissioners requested follow‑up information on fleet planning, the probation fee fund balances, and specific training costs to consider before finalizing the October budget adoption.","Probation officials told commissioners they need expanded training funds, face limited juvenile detention placements that raise out-of-county costs, and lack a planned county vehicle fleet replacement strategy.",{"_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},5983495,"Parks officials request restored per-park capital and outline equipment, maintenance priorities",870,1375000,2245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1&start=1375&end=2245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775908-d2650726c547fd41227a44e9d5506fe1/thumbnail_1375000.jpg","/articles/5983495/Vermillion-County/Indiana/Parks-officials-request-restored-per-park-capital-and-outline-equipment-maintenance-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5983495-667c19d0239196ad309a3b2089e0d78d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775204416&Signature=c0lLkg3tvdbnPEpjQNtF3jiHnXT~C6L-rPjh041xifGfSpYvMFO-Pvk-ncn5mnygT5yABSZcc2oHN5ST8bsxsC8lcCOEL8QzQXYzfGT7NuWpfIlj78tZAWAb6r7q77zy~g1jkPphchb6~UqT9DNvy8l7WwFcsWn7L7Fx5tR1dKVhGzrBuNHPnRC6rdNK4hBu92KzrJ6sMDk8nXZz~OBRDmpPK6QzqgDnfafNNpW3wLKv~UjtPmVNGlykBqoxRAjUsoRhZaixDk6sornv5qfm9pApCOXQ98Ji-b69~DF7BxWqFvlNWGj8ZCCSaUCtHl6y99BXQehd97hsCCWqlyGC9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parks representative Becky told county commissioners the parks department is seeking restoration of per-park nonreverting capital funding and described planned upgrades and ongoing maintenance changes. \"We'd like to get that nonreverting back up to $2,000 per park if that's a possibility,\" Becky said, adding that generational swings cost about $1,500 each.

Why it matters: Commissioners review department budget requests to decide how to allocate limited county funds. Restoring nonreverting capital would increase the parks department's ability to pay for small capital repairs and equipment without seeking a separate appropriation.

Becky said the department is planning several capital improvements: generational swings that allow adults and toddlers to swing together, a proposed disc golf installation at Hillsdale, and pickleball courts at Miller Park using an existing asphalt area. \"They're about 1,500 each though,\" Becky said of the generational swings. She said Miller Park's large asphalt area — a former tennis court — would be a logical site for pickleball because courts would sit near the main playground.

Becky described cuts to grounds services this year that removed county mowing at several locations including the library, the old jail, the Ernie Pyle Museum and the old Hillsdale steps. She said two parks have been added since 2019 — Santa and Trailhead — and that the department's grounds line covers mowing across eight parks. That shifted mowing responsibility for some historical and nonprofit properties to the groups that manage them; Becky said those groups are struggling to find volunteers and budgets to cover the work.

Becky provided budget context: the department had a roughly $163,000 adopted budget last year and, as of July 31, had about $74,702 unspent from that allocation. She asked for flexibility so the department can save unspent capital for larger projects: \"So that nonreverting capital improvement with the 8 parks where it's 16,000... I became it came on the park board in 02/2009 ... and last year that was cut to $1,000 per (park).\" She asked commissioners to consider returning the line to $2,000 per park.

Staffing and classifications also came up. Commissioners and Becky flagged a misclassification in the county budget system that moved seasonal labor and maintenance into a \"part-time help\" line; Becky said the work should remain budgeted as seasonal full‑time hours. Commissioners agreed to move the money back to the correct line so seasonal maintenance remains funded.

Commissioners and parks staff discussed projects in the pipeline and partnerships that reduce local cost. Becky said the parks board is partnering with the Vermillion Trails Alliance and the Soil and Water Conservation District to plant pollinator gardens; she said SWCD will pay 75% of plant costs. She also asked that the parks board be notified to coordinate mowing and project schedules.

The parks presentation ended with a request that commissioners consider restoring the nonreverting per-park allotment and ensuring seasonal maintenance remains correctly budgeted; no formal action was taken during the hearing.","Parks staff told county commissioners they want to restore a nonreverting per-park capital allotment, add generational swings and pickleball at Miller Park, and noted cuts to mowing that shifted work to nonprofits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Emergency management and LEPC brief commissioners on drone purchase, EOC staffing and text.gov subscription

Circuit Court seeks courtroom technology upgrades, interpreter budget and clarifies jury postage funding

Probation staff cite rising training needs, juvenile placements and vehicle gaps in budget hearing

Parks officials request restored per-park capital and outline equipment, maintenance priorities