Howard County Council approves $1.25 million in supplemental appropriations, several transfers and salary adjustments

The Howard County Council voted to approve $1,253,829.82 in additional appropriations and a set of intra-department transfers, and it adopted salary ordinance amendments during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Madam Auditor Melissa read Ordinance 2024-HCCO-42, which the auditor said totaled $1,253,829.82 across several funds. The ordinance listed a large “MBH restricted” line that Melissa clarified as $1,243,829.82 after a formatting/readback correction. The ordinance also included smaller adjustments for the Kinsey (transcript variants: McKenzie/Kenzie) Youth Center and other funds.

Miss Colson, a representative of the youth center, told the council the apparent additional appropriation related to staff reassignments after an 18-year caseworker resigned and another long-term employee moved units. “So it ultimately results in an additional appropriation that really doesn’t require any additional money,” she said, explaining the request to move $5,690 between fund lines to reflect where payroll expenses are charged.

Amber Toll of the county highway department said grant money from the Indiana Community Crossings matching program had been received and must be placed into the correct fund lines. She said the grant will support two resurfacing projects (about 12 miles collectively) and a reconstruction project on 1250 West.

After those departmental explanations, a council member moved to approve Ordinance 2024-HCCO-42 in full except for a $10,000 line for Howard County Community Corrections, which the council held back because no representative for that line was present. The motion, seconded by Councilwoman Lake and Councilwoman Faulkner, passed by voice vote.

Madam Moderator read Resolution 2024-HCCR-16, which proposed transfers between major budget classifications, including reallocating Soil and Water Conservation overtime to part-time, moving correctional meals funds to institution medical supplies, and converting a pretrial services grant position from part-time to full-time. Calvin Hartman, representing Soil and Water Conservation, asked to move overtime funds to a part-time budget line because of a busy workload this year. “We’re gonna be watching our account very closely before the end of the year,” he said.

Sheriff Asher explained the request to shift money into institutional medical supplies, saying rising in-custody medical needs had increased pharmacy and medical-supply costs; he reported about 285 inmates in-house that morning. A motion to approve the two transfers discussed passed by voice vote after being moved and seconded by council members.

Council members then considered Ordinance 2024-HCCO-43, an amendment to the county’s salary ordinance to adjust staffing and pay authorizations for the year. The ordinance included the staffing and fund-line changes described earlier. A motion to approve the salary changes was made, properly seconded by Councilman Alexander and Councilman Sanders, and adopted by voice vote.

The council also reviewed and adopted its 2025 meeting schedule. No members of the public addressed the council during the comment period. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, which carried by voice vote.

What happens next: the $10,000 line for Howard County Community Corrections was held pending a representative to explain that request; other approved appropriations and transfers will be reflected in county accounting per the adopted ordinances and resolution.