Daviess County Fiscal Court approves budget transfers, creates opioid-abatement fund and signs multiple construction change orders

Daviess County Fiscal Court on July 10 approved a series of budget moves and project actions intended to align the county’s books for the new fiscal year and address capital needs.

Treasurer Mr. Johnson told the court this was the first round of FY25–26 budgeted transfers, asking the court to move operating and debt-service dollars between funds. He outlined transfers including $1,752,254 from the general fund to the “rogue” fund for operations, $3,858,924 from the general fund to the jail fund, $117,700 from the general fund to the bond fund for complex debt service, $375,000 from the jail fund to the bond fund for detention center debt service and $593,000 from the general fund to the bond fund for public-safety radio system debt service. The court approved the transfers by voice vote.

The court also approved creation of a new opioid-abatement settlement fund (Fund 74) to comply with a state reporting requirement. Treasurer Mr. Johnson said the county would transfer the current balance of the Oakwood settlement (listed in the staff packet as $1,464,951.45) into Fund 74 and adjust the FY25–26 budget by decreasing the general fund and increasing Fund 74 by $1,500,000; he said state oversight offices had reviewed the proposal. Commissioner Conner asked whether the funds were tightly restricted to opioid-related programs and whether the county could coordinate spending with the City of Owensboro. "The opioid settlement funds are…