Budget hearings open with focus on jail expansion, health department staffing and effort to extend 2% innkeeper tax

Vanderburgh County opened the first day of 2025 budget hearings on Aug. 14 with council and auditor briefings that framed the fiscal work ahead: a planned jail expansion, uncertainty in state revenue figures and rising insurance costs. Auditor staff warned that the overall county budget request rose substantially and several key revenue figures (including LIT numbers) remained pending from the state Local Government Finance office.

Health Department representatives presented a significant request that drew extended council discussion. "The number one thing that's lingering out there is the jail expansion," the auditor said, but Health Department lead Joe (identified in the record by first name) outlined Public Health requests including a deputy health officer (succession planning for Dr. Spear), multiple positions funded by the Health First Indiana appropriation and a nurse practitioner post to bolster TB response and billable clinical services. Carissa Shoots, of the health department, explained that state rules now permit nurse practitioners or advanced practice RNs to serve as health officers under oversight arrangements and standing orders with the state health commissioner.

Councilors pressed staff on funding sources and whether new positions could be supported by existing grant or program revenues; Joe said some items could be funded from specific grant lines (for example, Medicaid billing for a pre‑3 home visitation program) but acknowledged timing and uncertainty on revenues. The council asked for follow‑up on unappropriated balances and suggested staff examine grant or fee sources before assigning additional property‑tax burden.

Separately, council adopted Resolution CODotRDash08Dash24Dash008 asking state legislators to extend the 2% innkeeper's tax that supports the county's convention center operations. Members discussed coordinating with county commissioners and the Convention & Visitors Bureau and noted Representative Tim O—Brien had been contacted about attaching the continuation to legislation this session. Plaza staff said the meetings and convention incentives line in their operating budget reflects active recruitment and contractual holds for several events in 2025 and that losing the 2% revenue would require rethinking incentives and operations.

Council recessed at the end of the day, scheduling a second day of hearings the following morning at 9 a.m.