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Van Buren County commission approves multiple budget amendments, grants and appointments
Summary
At its meeting the Van Buren County Commission approved a series of budget amendments and grants — including a sheriff overtime reimbursement, school budget amendments and a recycled-equipment grant — and confirmed an appointment to the planning commission; several IT and social-media purchases were deferred.
The Van Buren County Commission approved a package of budget amendments, grants and small expenditures and confirmed one appointment during its regular session.
The commission voted to approve minutes from the Nov. 17, 2025 full commission meeting and then adopted Committee A recommendations, including a $1,330.34 budget amendment for the sheriff's department to move funds into an overtime reimbursement line. Committee A recorded the motion as made by Terry Hodges and seconded by Terry Hickey; the minutes show a unanimous roll-call as recorded in the meeting transcript.
Commissioners also approved a set of budget amendments for the Board of Education (labeled in the minutes as '141' and '880' amendments), including funds tied to a public school security grant. Separately, the commission approved a recycling equipment grant allocation that moves $226,500 into an unassigned vehicle line to purchase a roll-off/recycling truck; county presenters said the county share would be up to $125,000 with the remainder coming from a grant.
Smaller personnel and operating adjustments approved at the meeting included a motion to shift $3,000 from a contributions line to contracted services to cover roughly $3,100 in gift cards for sheriff employees, and a motion to move $200 to cover food for an employee dinner. The actions were carried by voice or roll-call votes recorded in the transcript as in favor.
Appointments and certifications on the agenda were also approved. The commission confirmed Jeff Hastings to the Second District seat on the planning commission for a term beginning Jan. 1, 2026 and running through Jan. 1, 2030. The commission also approved a notary public application for Jessica Grissom.
Several items were deferred or tabled. A request to transfer $8,600 from a data-processing reserve to update a server was tabled pending clarification about which office the money was earmarked for. The commission also heard a CivicPlus social-media archiving presentation (see separate story) and agreed to revisit that purchase after the local school board meets.
What happens next: Deferred items — the server update and the CivicPlus archiving subscription — were sent back for further review. The commission did not take final action on those items during this meeting and will revisit them after staff and related entities provide additional detail.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Approve minutes (11/17/2025) — motion passed (voice vote — chair said 'Motion carries'). - Committee A: Move $1,330.34 to sheriff overtime (10154110187) — motion by Terry Hodges, seconded by Terry Hickey; roll call recorded all members voting yes. - Board of Education: '141' and '880' budget amendments, including school security grant — motions made and seconded; roll calls recorded all members voting yes. - Recycling equipment grant: move $226,500 (county share up to $125,000) — motion by Terry Hickey, seconded by Terry Hodges; roll call recorded unanimous yes. - Move $3,000 for sheriff gift cards and $200 for employee dinner food — motions approved (roll-call recorded yes votes). - Approve notary public application: Jessica Grissom — motion approved (voice vote recorded 'Aye'). - Approve appointment: Jeff Hastings to planning commission, term 01/01/2026–01/01/2030 — motion passed (voice vote).
The meeting adjourned following those actions and several routine announcements about community holiday events.
