Grant County council approves series of transfers, appointments and the 2026 salary ordinance
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Summary
At its Dec. 3 meeting the Grant County council approved multiple interdepartmental transfers and personnel actions — including clerk, EMS, public defender, prosecutor and court requests — and adopted the 2026 salary ordinance. Commissioners’ large internal transfers drew questioning but were approved with reservations.
The Grant County Council on Dec. 3 approved a package of budget transfers, personnel actions and the county’s 2026 salary ordinance after brief presentations from department heads and extended questioning of commissioners over large internal transfers.
Council members voted by voice on a series of motions: a public-defender request to reassign funds for part‑time investigator/secretary overtime so staff can scan and digitize case files; a $10,500 transfer within EMS to move ALS-run reimbursements into volunteer-run reimbursements; a $1,000 transfer for Superior Court 3 to cover juror questionnaire mailings now that juries will expand from six to 12; a $10,000 transfer in the health department to fund a comp-time buyout tied to a forthcoming change in comp-time carryover policy; and routine prosecutor accounting transfers plus approval to convert a part‑time prosecutor to a full‑time deputy to fill a vacancy.
The council also approved several appointments and vacancy fills, including a Fairmount Public Library board appointment for a term beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and authorization to refill a vacant maintenance position. The body adopted the 2026 salary ordinance (order number 4), which the clerk said lists all positions, part‑time status and rates; members noted the calendar/pay schedule produces an extra-paycheck calculation that required careful math.
Why it matters: the votes move money within existing appropriations so departments can meet legal or operational needs before year‑end, and the salary ordinance sets pay for the coming year. Several council members said they were approving transfers while reserving questions about larger expenditures and requested more detailed briefings going forward.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes as amended — motion carried (voice vote). - Public Defender: transfer for scanning and overtime — approved (voice vote). - EMS: $10,500 transfer from ALS reimbursements to volunteer-run reimbursements — approved (voice vote). - Assessor appointments and replacement vacancy — approved (voice vote). - Health Department: $10,000 transfer from salary to overtime to enable comp‑time buyouts — approved (voice vote). - Superior Court 3: $1,000 transfer to supplies for juror mailings — approved (voice vote). - Prosecutor: routine pretrial/deferred prosecution transfers and approval to fill a full‑time deputy prosecutor vacancy — approved (voice votes). - Commissioners: internal transfers/additional appropriations totaling about $684,900 — approved with reservations (voice vote). - Maintenance position refill — approved (voice vote). - Fairmount Public Library appointment for 2026–2029 term — approved (voice vote). - 2026 salary ordinance (Order No. 4) adoption — approved (voice vote).
Council Chair closed the meeting after members discussed jail capacity and asked for a referee-court update at an upcoming meeting.
Ending: With the votes approved, departments may implement the approved transfers and hires; several council members requested follow‑up briefings, and commissioners agreed to provide more documentation on the large transfers and RDC spending in executive session.
