Greene County amends 2025 salary ordinance to restore $5,000 prosecutor supplement; approves encumbrances and several appropriations

Greene County commissioners voted at a regular meeting to amend the 2025 salary ordinance to restore a $5,000 supplement for the elected prosecutor and to approve a package of encumbrances and appropriation advertisements across county departments.

The salary change was raised by Ashley Dyer, who said the supplement historically had been included in an elected prosecutor’s pay and is needed to keep parity required for indigent defense reimbursements. “Pursuant to standard g, the chief public defender must be paid in parity with the prosecutor as well as the judges in order for the county to be in compliance with the ... comprehensive plan for indigent services. So in order for the county to get 40% reimbursement, we have to pay it in accordance with the prosecutor,” Dyer said.

Commissioners discussed formatting and multiple versions of the salary ordinance on the table; counsel had clarified that corrected master copies would be circulated for signature. After discussion about whether the $5,000 should be paid as a single payment or split across payroll, the board approved the amendment. A motion to accept the salary ordinance as amended was moved and seconded and passed with all voting in favor.

Nut graf: The vote restores a practice the county earlier followed and ties to a state reimbursement requirement for indigent defense; commissioners also handled a slate of routine encumbrances and approved advertising for several additional appropriations that could affect county purchasing and short-term borrowing.

Among other personnel and pay items the board approved: - A request from Nicole Knowles to increase a case manager position funded by opioid-restricted grant money (the position is grant-funded and full time); the board approved the raise and accepted that the cost would be charged to the opioid-restricted line. The presenter said the additional amount comes from existing grant funds and a dedicated line for the case manager. - Annual auditor stipend: commissioners approved a $25,100 stipend to be paid in the first pay in December (stipends authorized by statute were described to commissioners as excluded from the statutory definition of compensation). - Adoption of corrections to the county salary ordinance (SO 2025-02) to reflect hires, vacancies and rate adjustments included on the packet the board reviewed; the packet also included newly hired and departing positions for E-911 and other departments.

The board also processed encumbrances and appropriations across departments. Commissioners approved motions to encumber funds or accept encumbrances for: the commissioners’ office, community corrections, soil and water, information technology, EMS, the jail, and the community corrections fund. Commissioners discussed a handful of invoices that had been delayed in routing and confirmed they would be paid from available CCV or department balances. Motions to approve the encumbrances were moved, seconded and approved with voice votes.

The board approved multiple appropriation-advertising motions and short-term financing steps: - Health department: staff reported an increase in the county allocation from the state and a carryover of $48,779 from 2024. Commissioners voted to advertise an additional appropriation tied to those increased funds (the advertised amount and a detailed breakdown were supplied in meeting materials; the board moved and seconded the motion and voted to advertise the appropriation). - Sheriff: the board voted to advertise an additional appropriation (the sheriff requested $110,300.24) to purchase two new vehicles, replacement radios and related outfitting and safety equipment; the sheriff noted some equipment may be covered by grants and that radios are being purchased in small batches because older units are no longer supported. - White River levee / Knox County billing: the auditor asked permission to temporarily borrow $18,000 from the county rainy-day fund to pay an invoice associated with White River levee work billed by Knox County; commissioners approved the temporary borrowing and then approved advertising the $18,000 appropriation so the loan would be repaid after tax collections.

Quotes and procedure: Many routine items were handled by voice votes after motions and seconds. Counsel and staff explained some numbering and formatting errors in ordinance drafts would be corrected on the master copies that would be circulated for signatures. Commissioners asked clarifying procedural questions about whether certain funds were carryover or new state allocations and whether salary increases were permitted mid-year; counsel explained the narrow rules that apply to elected-official compensation.

Ending: The commission concluded by approving the advertised items, accepting routine encumbrances, and adopting the amended salary ordinance and related personnel actions. Items that require outside funding or additional advertising (sheriff equipment purchases, health department appropriation and the levee appropriation) were moved to advertisement as the board directed staff to follow the statutory notice process.