Vanderburgh County Council approves pay raise for community corrections director, accepts $350,000 grant for cyber unit and OKs Area Plan interlocal amendment

The Vanderburgh County Council on Dec. 11 approved several personnel and budget actions, including a $12,500 raise for the county’s Community Corrections director, acceptance of a $350,000 federal grant to expand digital forensics capacity, and a third amendment to the interlocal agreement with the City of Evansville to restructure the Area Plan Department.

Judge Wayne Trotman told the council the Community Corrections director, James Aiken, has overseen program growth and expanded services — including electronic home detention with more than 120 participants — and proposed a $12,500 annual salary increase. Trotman said the raise would move Aiken’s 2025 pay from “about $82,500” to “about $91,300” and that the additional compensation would be covered by program user fees rather than the county’s general fund. Councilors discussed the risk if grant or user‑fee revenue declined; one member warned that if grant funding were reduced, “the position’s gone.” The raise was approved by voice vote.

The county prosecutor’s office reported it had received a $350,000 federal grant to support the High‑Tech Crimes Unit, which serves the southern Indiana region. Prosecutor’s staff asked the council to create part‑time intern positions funded wholly by the grant to expand capacity in a cell‑phone/data analysis lab and to develop a talent pipeline from local universities. “We have a $350,000 federal grant that we received,” a prosecutor’s office representative said; council approved creating the intern line items and accepting the grant.

Councilors also approved a negotiated amendment to the interlocal agreement between Vanderburgh County and the City of Evansville governing the Area Plan Department. The amendment sets a 50/50 cost‑sharing arrangement, reduces the Area Plan Commission from 13 to 9 members (four county appointees, four city appointees and the county surveyor), establishes an eight‑year term limit for discretionary appointments, and moves site‑review meetings to a video/audio conference format to improve clarity for applicants. Supporters said the changes streamline review and aim to spur affordable housing and economic development; some council members asked that appointees coordinate with commissioners before initiating costly studies.

Other action at the meeting included grouped approvals of personnel requests across multiple departments (sheriff, jail, coroner, prosecutor, public defender and health department), authorization of one‑time spot bonuses in the prosecutor’s office to be paid from forfeiture funds, and a series of appropriation items discussed under the appropriation ordinance.

On the Convention Center and Old National Events Plaza finances, councilors approved several targeted appropriations (including $65,000 for utilities after extended questioning about delayed monthly financial reports) while asking staff to return with clearer financials and contract details. For the Open National Events Plaza, councilors approved a $6,093 appropriation for overtime and related payroll items but pressed staff to bring more timely revenue and expense reports.

The meeting closed with approval of transfers as listed, formal adoption of amendments to the salary ordinance and recognition of departing council members. The council set its next meeting for Jan. 8, 2025.