The Kosciusko County Council on Sept. 12 approved the Solid Waste Management 2025 budget, a county staff presenter said, setting total appropriations at $451,600 for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025. "The total budget for the year is 451,600," Tom said while presenting the budget.

The budget, adopted as an ordinance resolution read into the record, reflects higher labor costs and a small capital project for replacement doors. Tom told the council the auditor's controller fee increased from $6,000 to $10,000 and that part of the budget growth would fund additional temporary labor if the county extends its recycling amnesty program. The county opened electronics and household-chemical recycling lanes free to residents for three months this year and the board extended that amnesty; Tom said the board expects demand to remain high and "we might need some additional labor during summer just to help us out."

Council members questioned a line item for an educator/outreach position that appears twice in the worksheet. After discussion the presenter said the part-time line could be dropped and that the office would prefer a single full-time educator if feasible. The council moved and approved the budget with a $3,000 reduction for the part-time line (motion by Dave; second by Kim). The motion passed by voice vote.

The ordinance text read into the record described the appropriation as set "subject to the laws governing the same" and directed budget forms be completed and submitted as required by the Department of Local Government Finance. The council closed the matter after the vote and proceeded with the meeting.

Looking ahead, Tom said recycling amnesty created heavy traffic at sites — "between, let's say, 4 to 500 touches a month over a thousand each month that we did the, total amnesty" — and that staffing adjustments would be needed if the county offers free electronics and chemical drop-offs for an extended period.

The council also recorded the ordinance number for the Solid Waste budget in the meeting record during the reading and adoption sequence.