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Votes at a glance: LaPorte County Council moves funds for reserves, EMS, shelter and legal fees
Summary
At the Aug. 25 meeting the LaPorte County Council approved several appropriations and transfers, including $1.16M to the Rainy Day Fund, $205,000 for EMS, $61,332.64 for the animal shelter, and an amended $50,000 allocation for commissioners’ legal fees from riverboat funds; a prosecutor equipment transfer was tabled.
The LaPorte County Council approved a series of budget and ordinance actions on Aug. 25. Key votes and outcomes:
• Ordinance 2025‑8 (Recorder perpetuation fund): Council read the ordinance by title and approved the request to use the recorder’s perpetuation fund for office expenses and salaries in 2026; staff presented the required sworn statement of fund availability and the ordinance passed following a motion to suspend rules for a second reading.
• Resolution 2025‑8 (Economic revitalization area): Council approved designation of about 13.37 acres in Kingsbury as an economic revitalization area and accepted the associated statement of benefits (see separate article). Staff recommended a five‑year abatement term.
• Maintenance appropriation: Council approved an additional appropriation of $250,000 to pay outstanding building‑maintenance invoices and arrears; members flagged the need to strengthen procurement and preventive maintenance planning (see separate article).
• County legal fees (Commissioners): Commissioners originally requested $150,000 for legal fees; council amended the approval to $50,000 drawn from riverboat funds and approved that motion. Several members said they preferred periodic check‑ins on legal spending.
• Animal shelter: The council approved an additional appropriation of $61,332.64 for the LaPorte County Animal Shelter to cover services and charges as requested by interim director Brooke Kegebein.
• EMS: Council approved a not‑to‑exceed $205,000 package for LaPorte County EMS — $150,000 to avoid an overtime deficit, up to ~$35,000 for vehicle tablets/printers and modem upgrades to support interoperability/AVL, and $20,000 for winter coats/uniforms. Staff emphasized modems in ambulances are incompatible with new tablets and described a state pilot on PSAP‑to‑PSAP dispatching that increases the importance of vehicle AVL.
• Prosecutor equipment transfer: A requested $25,000 transfer for law‑enforcement equipment tied to state police posts and toll‑road policing was tabled so the prosecutor can provide firm details about which state post and reimbursement arrangements.
• Extension transfer and small capital requests: The council approved a $4,150 transfer from a 100 account for the Purdue Extension Office and approved $15,000 for consolidating two high‑elevation window repairs (to combine crane rental), along with other small transfers.
• Auditor transfer to Rainy Day Fund: The auditor moved and council approved transferring $1,163,321.95 of a riverboat distribution into the county’s Rainy Day Fund to comply with distribution timing and reserve rules.
Most motions carried by voice vote; where members expressed procedural objections they often nevertheless voted to pay outstanding bills or to preserve county services. Several items will return to council with additional paperwork or during budget workshops.
