Warrick County officials approve salary and budget ordinances, authorize up to $15,000 for prosecutor desktops

Warrick County officials met in public session and approved a salary ordinance and multiple budget appropriation items, including funds for solid waste and a temporary salary adjustment to cover a two-week probation officer training period. The board also authorized up to $15,000 from a reserved computer-equipment line to replace prosecutor desktops that are not upgradeable to Windows 11.

The council opened the meeting with roll call and took up an ordinance on salary wages (ordinance 2025-03). During discussion an attendee identified in the transcript as Speaker 3 said they had voted in a prior meeting believing the county council would not receive a raise, then learned other staff received a roughly 2.5% increase and said, "I didn't know they're gonna give a raise to everyone else... so I would have voted no for that." After discussion, members moved and seconded approval of the salary ordinance; the motion carried with a recorded tally of 6 yes.

Officials then introduced an ordinance for appropriation of the tax rate (ordinance 2025-04), which includes budget forms, estimates and levy/rate schedules. The ordinance was moved, seconded and advanced by the board during the meeting. The board also approved a separate appropriation for solid waste (2025), with the record showing the motion carried 6–1.

During the public-hearing portion the council closed the hearing and transitioned to other business. Crystal, a staff speaker recorded in the transcript, told the board that Superior Court had a probation officer submit a two-week notice and requested a short-term salary ordinance to allow training overlap. Crystal said the court would transfer part-time funds to cover the training as an additional appropriation. The board approved the temporary salary ordinance; that motion carried 6–0.

Crystal also reported late notice from the prosecutor's office that several desktop computers cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 and need replacement. She said the cost to replace those desktops is $14,002.25 and that the county previously budgeted computer upgrades in a rainy-day equipment line with a remaining balance of about $56,000. The board authorized spending not to exceed $15,000 from that rainy-day equipment fund for the replacements; the motion carried 7–0.

Later in the meeting Crystal raised an administrative concern: the county auditor was not present to attest the budget and the first deputy was on vacation. Crystal said she had texted the auditor to ask whether Christine could attest in his absence but had not yet received a response. She noted that budgets must be uploaded to the Gateway system within three days for approval, and the board discussed locating the auditor, arranging an attestation test and scanning attestations so the upload can proceed.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, which carried.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance: Salary wages (2025-03) — motion carried, recorded tally: 6 yes (SEG 084–096). - Ordinance: Appropriation of tax rate (2025-04) — motion moved and seconded; chair indicated it would carry (SEG 098–112). - Ordinance: Solid waste appropriation (2025) — motion carried, recorded tally: 6 yes, 1 no (SEG 113–123). - Temporary salary ordinance for probation training — motion carried, recorded tally: 6 yes, 0 no (SEG 168–177). - Authorization: Prosecutor desktop replacements — approved up to $15,000 from rainy-day equipment fund, motion carried, recorded tally: 7 yes, 0 no (SEG 179–259).

The board flagged a pending administrative step: an auditor must attest the budget documents and staff said they will locate the auditor or scan attestations to meet the Gateway upload deadline.