St. Joseph County Council adopts 2026 budget, narrowly approves salary ordinance 5-4

St. Joseph County Council passed the county'wide 2026 budget and a companion salary ordinance on Tuesday, Oct. 14, approving both measures by a 5-4 vote after more than an hour of debate over pay increases and departmental funding.

The budget ordinance (bill 73-25) and the salary ordinance (bill 74-25) were adopted following a public hearing and floor debate. Council members who opposed the measures cited concerns about a position-specific raise and increases for certain departments; supporters framed the raise as a retention and economic-development tool tied to major investments the county has attracted.

The difference in opinion centered on a raise included for the county's economic development director, discussed during the budget debate as roughly $30,000. President Schutzel, who earlier had defended the director's record, offered an amendment to remove that raise but said the amendment drew no second and therefore failed. Councilman Catanzarite and others argued the director had secured large investments for…