Kosciusko County Council members on Sept. 12 approved an ARPA budget reduction of $625,350 to reallocate funds and then approved a series of project appropriations recommended by the ARPA committee.

County Administrator Marsha McSherry told the council the reduction results from a lower-than-expected bid for Justice Building renovations (estimate reduced from $2,400,000 to $1,600,000). The council then took individual votes on projects that will be funded from the reallocated ARPA pool.

Approved ARPA appropriations and brief descriptions as read in the meeting record include:

- Justice Building parking‑lot cameras: $23,000 for cameras north of the Justice Building monitored on the existing courthouse/Justice Building camera system.
- Work‑release security system replacement: $64,435 to replace outdated cameras and integrate monitoring with jail and court‑security staff.
- Work‑release exterior painting (front facade/entry): $7,800 (quotes obtained).
- Work‑release parking lot sealing and striping: $7,425 (after pothole patching by county highway department).
- Justice Building courtroom and lobby furniture: $220,000 to replace jury seating, council tables, lobby benches and adjacent offices in the north (oldest) portion of the building.
- County building assessment: $66,900 for an assessment that includes a drone roof flyover, interior scanning and condition reports across county buildings.
- Courthouse exterior cameras: $150,000 to install cameras recommended by the county security committee; staff said grant funding may offset this if awarded.
- Fairboard barns and electrical upgrades (AQUA grant request): a motion approved total funding described on the record as $85,079 (motion language read by a council member; breakdown spoken at the meeting: ~ $44,061.06 for the beef barn, ~ $31,031.74 for the HFA building, and $10,000 for electrical upgrades); the fair board said the work addresses roof and electrical capacity deficits to support larger exhibitors and modern concessions.

Each item above was moved and approved by separate voice votes after staff presentation and brief council discussion. The county recorded that projects would start after appropriation and that the ARPA appropriation process had completed its internal review.

McSherry provided an ARPA project update during the meeting: Justice Building renovations are underway and on a phased schedule (10 phases total; anticipated wrap-up in April), the Sydney tower is now operational, and the courthouse fire alarm project was completed with recent training.

Council members asked follow-up administrative questions about monitoring (the cameras would be integrated with existing dispatch/jail monitoring) and whether grant awards might change funding sources; staff said any awarded grants would be used in place of ARPA funds if available.