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County Council approves pay bump for community corrections director; prosecutor announces $350,000 grant
Summary
The Vanderburgh County Council approved a $12,500 pay increase for Community Corrections Director James Aiken and multiple personnel requests, and accepted a $350,000 federal grant to expand the prosecutor’s High-tech Crimes Unit and create grant-funded intern positions.
The Vanderburgh County Council on Dec. 11 approved a $12,500 annual salary increase for Community Corrections Director James Aiken, raising his 2025 pay from about $82,500 to approximately $91,300, and passed a package of personnel requests covering multiple county departments.
Judge Trotman (identified in the transcript as Wayne Trochman), who presented the Community Corrections item, said Aiken has expanded the program — adding electronic home detention and growing caseloads — and that the director’s pay remains in the lower third compared with peers. "He has done a fantastic job," Trotman said, and requested the increase be funded through user fees rather than the county general fund. Council members asked about the comparability study Trotman used and whether neighboring counties’ workloads were considered; Trotman referenced Allen, Marion and Vigo counties in his review. After discussion and a motion, the pay increase was approved by voice vote.
The council also approved grouped personnel items across several departments — including public defender and health department positions — and a one-time spot-bonus plan from the prosecutor’s office. Prosecutor Diana said 14 employees would receive scaled spot bonuses funded from prosecutor forfeiture funds to recognize heavy trial workloads; the council approved the request after members asked about eligibility and funding source.
In the same session the prosecutor announced the office had secured a $350,000 federal grant for the High-tech Crimes Unit that covers work in the Southern Indiana region and enables creation of part-time intern positions. Diana said the office already recruits from local colleges and that past interns often remain with the office; council members congratulated staff and approved the grant-funded staffing changes.
The meeting record shows the council repeatedly noted that several of these positions and the proposed pay increase rely on non-general-fund revenue streams (user fees or grant/forfeiture funds), and members pressed staff on contingency plans should grants or outside funding be reduced.
The council approved the personnel and grant items by voice vote; no further public testimony was recorded on these matters during the meeting.
