Dubois County Council approves 2026 budgets, salary ordinance and several appropriations

The Dubois County Council voted to adopt the county’s 2026 budget totaling $37,988,357 and to approve the county’s 2026 salary ordinance during its October meeting. Council President opened the public portion of the hearing, read the budget totals and the council approved the measures by voice vote.

The session included approvals for several partner budgets and special funds: a Solid Waste Management District budget of $429,120, an Airport Authority budget of $2,845,900, the Northeast DuBois Fire District budget of $135,300 and the Northeast DuBois School Corporation budget of $12,237,468. Each item was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Council members also approved a motion authorizing the council president to sign a letter of financial commitment for a federal bridge-safety grant application. County engineering staff said the county’s estimated local share for the bridge grant would total about $421,000 spread across multiple fiscal years if the project is awarded.

On personnel budget matters, the council approved a salary ordinance identified in the meeting as Ordinance 2026, which the clerk noted would be included in meeting minutes and in the printed budget documents. Council members discussed but did not change the ordinance language during the session.

The meeting closed with additional routine appropriations for items such as electronic monitoring, solid-waste sticker funds and a $3,500 copier for community corrections; those motions were also adopted by voice vote.

What happens next: approved budgets will be incorporated into the county’s fiscal schedule for 2026; grant awards and the timing of contract windows could change actual outlays when and if state or federal agencies approve funding.