Budget panel sends $1.45 tax-rate package to full court with $4,000 raises, EMA director included

White County budget committee members voted to send a budget package with a $1.45 certified tax-rate proposal to the full court that, as presented to the committee, includes $4,000 across-the-board raises for county employees, targeted higher adjustments for some job classes, a $100-per-year longevity structure (with discussion of moving from a 5-year to a 3-year vesting), and funding to convert the county Emergency Management Agency (EMA) position from part time to full time.

The committee’s vote (recorded in committee roll call) approved sending the package to the full court for final consideration. Committee members who voted in favor during the recorded roll call included Commissioner Derek Hutchings, Commissioner David Cranford and Commissioner TK Austin; Executive Robinson and Commissioner Kyle Goff were recorded as voting yes during the roll call. The committee discussion and the motion sent a single assembled package to full court rather than forwarding a stripped-down version.

Committee members and staff framed the vote as a compromise between two main options the group debated: an 8% across-the-board percentage raise and a flat $4,000 across-the-board increase. Staff presented analyses showing the breakpoint near $50,000 in salary where the percentage would be more favorable than the flat amount; below that breakpoint the flat $4,000 payment yields larger increases. The $4,000 option was presented with targeted, above-flat adjustments for some positions (library staff, certain highway positions and selected public-safety roles) to address recruitment and retention concerns.

The committee also discussed a longevity payment tied to years of service. Under the proposal the committee favored in committee, longevity would pay $100 annually starting at year 3 (members discussed alternatives including a year-5 start and a 30-year cap). Staff told the committee that moving longevity to start immediately (year 0) would add roughly $34,000 annually compared with starting at year 5; starting at year 3 would be a smaller incremental cost.

Public-safety staffing and equipment needs dominated much of the discussion. Committee members repeatedly returned to EMS staffing and vehicle availability after speakers during public comment recounted a recent house fire where ambulances were not available and county residents were transported in police vehicles. Committee discussion covered remounts and purchases of ambulances (committee members referenced past allocations and that remounts and new units are on multi-year procurement schedules) and discussed the budgetary impact of adding remounts and new ambulances. One number mentioned during discussion was a $210,000 ambulance remount figure previously discussed in the budget process.

On the EMA position, some commissioners argued a full-time director is necessary to unlock grant funding and to oversee grants, fire apparatus needs and county emergency planning; other commissioners said EMS and sheriff staffing were the higher near-term priorities. Several commissioners said they would support sending the package to full court while continuing to work on EMA job classification and pay before final approval.

The committee instructed staff to assemble the full package for distribution to commissioners and scheduled an opportunity to review it before the full court meeting. Commissioners agreed to meet on Monday, July 14 at 05:30 p.m. (committee time) to review the assembled proposal before the full court hearing. The budget as sent to full court will be available for amendment on the full-court floor.

Votes at a glance: The committee recorded a roll-call vote sending the package to full court; commissioners recorded as voting yes during committee roll call include Derek Hutchings, David Cranford, TK Austin, Executive Robinson and Kyle Goff; the motion carried in committee.

The full court will receive the complete budget package and may amend or remove items (including the EMA full-time position) during its public process. Staff said the package as sent will be published in the local newspaper ahead of the full-court hearing.