Outside agencies seek Perry County funding as council opens 2026 budget hearing

Dozens of outside agencies presented their 2026 funding requests to the Perry County Council during a public hearing opened after the council approved a set of supplemental appropriations.

Key requests and presentations

- Ride Solutions: Becky Guthrie, introduced herself as “Becky Guthrie. I'm the director of Ride Solution.” She told the council Ride Solutions is a public transportation provider in the region funded through the Federal Transit Administration and the Indiana Department of Transportation but that local matching contributions are required for the counties it serves. Guthrie said a missed county contribution in a prior year resulted in Ride Solutions arranging alternate funding and temporary support from the city; she asked the county to restore an appropriation in 2026 so the service can continue serving Perry County residents, especially workers and people who rely on nonemergency trips. Guthrie described the fare structure (for example, $2 per one-way local trip and $6 for county-to-county trips) and stressed the role transit can play in employer access to labor.

- Animal control / Animal Welfare Board: Robert Faust and other board members presented a budget document the board submitted and discussed a request that the board described as totaling $30,000 (composed of an ongoing $5,000 community-services line and a larger request for animal-control staffing). Faust described an operational gap: the shelter and volunteers have absorbed many animal calls, while the county lacks a dedicated animal control officer. Board representatives said Perry County averages about two animal-related calls per day and described recent incidents (a cyclist attacked by dogs; a child nearly attacked) and public-health concerns tied to unmanaged stray animals. They said a part-time animal control officer attached to the sheriff’s office, paid training available…