The Morgan County Council on its final 2025 meeting approved a series of year-end financial moves to close out the year and address urgent facilities and operations needs.

Council members voted unanimously to appropriate $271,848 from the Rainy Day Fund to replace an aging courthouse boiler that officials said could not wait for the next project phase. Linda (county staff) explained the basement boiler had been ‘limping along’ and that delaying replacement risked higher costs and heating outages. The council approved the appropriation without dissent.

The council also recorded proceeds tied to an ambulance sale to the Indiana Donor Network and approved an accounting appropriation of roughly $110,000 to reflect that transaction and associated collections, according to Brent (county staff). Brent said the sale yielded about $10,000 more than a trade-in. The council approved the request 5-0.

Public works and roads staff reported unusually high salt and sand use after multiple December storms and limited storage capacity. Road operations asked to transfer $50,000 from a bridal system equipment line to the road salt and sand fund — roughly equivalent to 500 tons — to ensure stock for upcoming winter months. The council approved the transfer after discussing treated salt versus salt/sand mixes and supplier lead times.

Other housekeeping and personnel-related financial actions approved included: a $2,500 additional appropriation for jury administration mailing and contractual charges, a $2,559.06 payout for accrued PTO tied to a retiring employee, and smaller transfers such as $300 to correct a longevity line and $5,407.38 from jail food services to group insurance. All motions passed unanimously.

The approvals were delivered as part of the council’s year-end agenda; officials stressed many items were accounting cleanups or responses to unexpected needs rather than new policy decisions. The council said it will review longer-term salt budgeting and storage plans during the next budget cycle.