VANDERBURGH COUNTY — The county council approved a plan to open dedicated bank accounts and offer online payments for community‑corrections program fees, a move county officials said should make compliance easier for participants and boost collections.

James Aiken, identified in the meeting as the community corrections director, explained the proposal: participants in electronic home detention, treatment court and work‑release programs would have the option to pay fees online through a vendor (identified in the meeting as AllPaid), with funds deposited into new Old National Bank accounts established for each program. Aiken said similar systems in other Indiana counties immediately raised fee collection by about 5%.

Council members discussed transaction fees and bank account costs. The vendor fee cited at the meeting was 3.5% and the county representative said participants would incur that processing fee; Aiken said he did not believe the bank would charge the county for the new accounts but that staff would confirm. Finance staff and the county auditor were identified as partners in establishing account policies and oversight.

Officials recorded program collection baselines: work release currently collects about 81% of fees (Aiken said online payments could raise that to about 86%), electronic home detention collects about 90% and treatment court about 84%. The council voted to approve the bank‑account arrangement and online‑payment option; the motion passed by voice vote. The meeting record shows the council asked staff to do due diligence on bank fees and account administration.

Council members said the online option would make it easier for participants and families to pay without mailing money orders and would allow staff to reduce in‑office handling. The council approved the new accounts and the online payment pilot and asked that the finance director and bank contacts finalize account details and fee arrangements.