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Muncie council adopts year-end appropriations and salary ordinances; one salary vote recorded as a No
Summary
At its Dec. 1 meeting the council adopted multiple ordinances: rezonings, additional appropriations for police and fire/EMS, and salary ordinances for elected and appointed officials. Council approved the measures on roll calls; one salary ordinance had a single recorded No vote.
The Muncie City Council on Dec. 1 passed a package of ordinances that included zoning, year-end appropriations for public safety and salary ordinances for 2026.
Ordinance 34-25 (rezoning at 100 North Hudson Avenue) was moved by Councilman Neil Basham and seconded by Councilman Green and adopted on a unanimous roll call of attending members.
Ordinance 35-25 authorized additional appropriations for the Muncie Police Department. A police representative explained the requested money comes from public safety tax cash balances and will cover capital equipment (vehicle purchases) and to shore up PERF (public employee retirement fund) line items after higher staffing this year. Councilman Powell moved the ordinance; it passed on roll call.
Ordinance 36-25 provided additional appropriations for the Fire/EMS department to cover overtime and to purchase a fully equipped ambulance (including a power loader and power cot). Staff said the request will be paid from EMS billing revenue (Fund 104); they reported about 55 current applicants in the department's recruitment pool. The ordinance passed on roll call.
Council also adopted Ordinance 37-25 (maximum salaries for elected officials) and Ordinance 39-25 (maximum salaries for members of the Muncie Fire Department) on roll calls.
Ordinance 38-25 (maximum salaries for appointed officers) was amended on the floor to correct a title/reference; councilors questioned why some salary-ordinance maximums exceed the amounts the council adopted in the budget. City staff responded that salary ordinances set maximums and that budget line items control actual pay; after debate the amended ordinance passed with one No vote recorded (Councilmember McIntosh).
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript): Ordinance 34-25 — adopted (roll call recorded all Yes); Ordinance 35-25 — adopted (roll call Yes majority); Ordinance 36-25 — adopted (roll call Yes majority); Ordinance 37-25 — adopted; Ordinance 38-25 — adopted (roll call: Yes 8, No 1); Ordinance 39-25 — adopted.
Why it matters: The appropriations allow police and fire to purchase vehicles and equipment before year-end and to cover overtime; the salary ordinances establish maximum pay scales for 2026 and prompted council discussion about the relationship between salary ordinances and budgeted line items.
Next steps: Budget line-item monitoring and any required budget amendments will occur during the fiscal year if the administration seeks to fill positions with the newly authorized maximums.
