Miami County commissioners agree to notify clerk of intent to exceed revenue-neutral rate; debate road and health funding

MIAMI COUNTY, July 9, 2025 — Miami County commissioners told staff to prepare a notice for the county clerk that the board intends to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for the 2025 budget and agreed to hold the required public hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 20, while spending substantial time debating road-and-bridge funding, equipment needs and county mental-health and health-department services.

Lucas Mellinger, assistant county administrator, presented a set of draft budget spreadsheets and the required notice to the clerk, stressing the statutory timeline: “We have to do it by the twentieth,” he said, referring to the July 20 deadline to notify the clerk. He added, “As of today, whatever number we put on this paper, we're not allowed to go above it,” indicating the board must cap the figure on the notification but may reduce it later.

The budget discussion focused first on road and bridge funding. Commissioners and staff debated whether to restore a $500,000 line for in-house asphalt work and how much to add for mill-and-overlay contract work. Road-and-bridge staff described a hybrid approach: increase…