Meeting roundup: commissioners approve payroll and claims, transfer highway overtime, authorize litigation and hire special counsel

At their meeting, Perry County commissioners approved routine financial items and several administrative actions:

- Payroll and claims: The board approved payroll for 01/16/2026 in the amount of $184,757.74; payroll withholding of $39,327.89; a quarterly sheriff's pension payment of $39,218.50; a solid-waste claim of $6,814.84; and accounts payable totaling $894,134.30. Motions were made and approved by voice vote.

- Highway overtime funding: Commissioners approved a transfer within fund 11-76 to create an overtime line to cover highway overtime needs and directed staff to present the transfer to the county council. Motion made and approved by voice vote.

- Comp time policy: The board formally moved to allow existing comp time to be used according to the current personnel handbook (no across-the-board payout); the motion passed.

- PCDC litigation and counsel appointment: After an executive-session discussion, commissioners voted to authorize county legal counsel to initiate litigation against the Perry County Development Corporation for matters arising from professional-services agreements covering fiscal years 2022-2024, and appointed Josh Claiborne of Jackson Kelly as special legal counsel for the litigation. The motion passed by voice vote.

- Legislative representation: The board approved making RJL Solutions' representation of the county at the Indiana Legislature official and authorized engaging the firm for the session.

- Fuel contract: Commissioners chose to accept a fixed fuel rate for the year rather than a flex rate.

All actions above were recorded as approved by voice vote during the meeting; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the public transcript.