Marshall County commissioners met Dec. 31 for their final session of the year and approved routine financial claims, confirmed a number of board and committee appointments for 2025, and voted to void a previously approved engagement with a lobbying firm.

Auditor Angie reported that the county has completed distribution of its American Rescue Plan Act funds and that the ARPA account now shows a zero balance. "We now have a 0 balance in there," Angie said, reporting a final ARPA report to the board.

The board approved accounts-payable (AP) claims and payroll claims by voice vote. A motion to approve the AP claims was moved and seconded and carried; a subsequent motion to approve payroll claims was similarly approved.

The chair read a list of proposed appointments to county boards and committees, including Maria Horvath (Argus Public Library); Jan Short Fitterling (Culver Union Township Public Library); Ray Trump (plan commission); Michelle Mieris (Marshall County BZA alternate); Joel Fisher (alcohol beverage board); Dr. Thomas Panavoli (board of health); Jesse Bohannon (extension board and US 30 coalition); Matt Harbormail (Marshall County tourism, name as recorded); Andrea Kanaki (county tourism commission); Adam Fostitch (fair board, EMA board, technology and safety committees); Richard Markley (park and rec); and others. A motion to approve the appointments as read was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Separately, the board considered a proposed lobbying engagement with Craig Duvall. According to the discussion, the firm declined a short two-month option and proposed an annual agreement of roughly $40,000, which commissioners said they did not favor. "They decided they did not want to offer us the option to engage them for just 2 months…kind of annual agreement of $40,000," a commissioner said. The board voted to nullify its prior action authorizing engagement with Craig Duvall and to cancel any intention to contract with the firm.

The board also moved to "clarify" and thereby ratify a roster of appointments the chair had read on Jan. 21, 2025, after a member noted the minutes for that earlier meeting did not clearly record a vote. A motion stating the board's intent to have those people act on behalf of the county was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

A motion to adjourn carried and the meeting ended.

Votes at a glance: AP claims — motion carried by voice vote (ayes voiced; no roll-call names recorded); Payroll claims — motion carried by voice vote; Appointments as read — motion carried by voice vote; Nullify Craig Duvall engagement — motion carried by voice vote; Ratify Jan. 21 appointments — motion carried by voice vote; Adjournment — carried.

Next steps: The concierge medicine item was placed on the Jan. 5 agenda for further consideration; several appointment confirmations remain pending and will be finalized when confirmations are received.