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White County Council Agrees to Reclassify Environmental Services into Tax‑Levied Health Fund amid HFI Cuts
Summary
Council members agreed to move the county environmental specialist and related costs from the solid‑waste fund into the tax‑levied health fund (11‑59) and to create a dedicated ‘community services’ line to avoid using restricted HFI funds for potentially nonresident services.
The White County Council agreed during its meeting to reclassify the county’s environmental specialist and related costs from the solid‑waste fund (11‑94) into the tax‑levied health fund (11‑59), after county health staff and council members raised concerns about recent cuts to HFI funding and the long‑term stability of the service.
Council discussion: Health department staff said the county had temporarily placed several positions on HFI (fund 11‑61) to reduce pressure on the tax levy but that recent changes to HFI funding require moving three full‑time positions back onto 11‑59 to maintain services. Councilmembers and staff agreed it will make the 11‑59 budget look larger this year because the department must reabsorb those salaries and environmental costs previously paid from HFI and solid‑waste funds.
Why it matters: The reclassification is intended to protect core public‑health services inside the county’s tax‑levied health fund and to avoid using HFI dollars where state law now limits them. Council members also expressed a preference not to require residents to document immigration or residency status for basic public‑health services, citing concerns that requiring proof would reduce community engagement and undermine disease control efforts.
Budget guidance and next steps: The council directed county finance staff to present the 2026 budget with environmental services consolidated under 11‑59 and to create a clearly labeled “community services” line under 11‑59 (suggested to be carved out of the communicable‑disease line). The purpose of that line is to hold county‑funded services that could otherwise be questioned under HFI restrictions. County staff said Christy (county finance/auditor staff) will monitor and track expenditures in the new line and report back when the formal budget is presented in August. Staff did not provide a final dollar figure for the reclassification at the meeting; they said concrete numbers would be emailed to the council after further review.
What the council did and did not do: Council members did not adopt a formal ordinance this meeting; they gave direction to staff to prepare the budget changes and to include the new line item for review. No change to residency policy was adopted; council members repeatedly emphasized that they did not want to deny services or require documentation that would deter people from seeking care.
Speakers quoted or identified in the discussion included Katie (health department staff), Christie (county staff/finance), and Commissioner Smolik (White County commissioner).
