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Council approves salary amendments for probate and juvenile justice positions, 9–0
Summary
The council unanimously passed two salary-amendment ordinances (Bill 2-26 and Bill 3-26) that reallocate existing appropriations to convert part-time/referee roles to full-time positions and adjust several JJC salaries; presenters described the changes as revenue neutral and funded by existing accounts.
The St. Joseph County Council voted unanimously to approve two salary-amendment ordinances affecting the probate court and juvenile justice center.
Laura Sapir, identified in the record as the probate court judge, and James Masters presented Bill 2-26 and Bill 3-26, explaining that the proposals reallocate existing budgeted salary lines rather than request new appropriations. On Bill 2-26 they described making a juvenile referee position full time by augmenting a $78,000 part‑time referee with $24,000 from another account to arrive at an annual salary of $102,000. The presenters said the probate court referee position was not currently filled and that the changes were revenue-neutral because the funds are already appropriated across accounts.
For Bill 3-26, Sapir and Masters detailed several transfers from a senior adviser account (ending in 0049) to raise multiple positions to be comparable with other directors: increasing an HR director line from about $64,009.47 to $78,005.84 (by $13,637) and raising the director of security from $69,006.75 to $78,005.84 (by $8,309). They also described modest increases to several special deputies (about $2,534 each) and to an assistant deputy director of security (to $49,000 from $46,466). Presenters repeatedly characterized the package as revenue neutral and noted the senior adviser position is not currently filled.
After the public hearing produced no speakers in favor or opposition for either bill, the council moved and passed Bill 2-26 and Bill 3-26 by roll call, each recorded as 9–0 in favor.
What passed: Bill 2-26 (amendment to the county salary ordinance to pay certain probate/JJC positions from multiple accounts; passed 9–0) and Bill 3-26 (further salary reassignments for JJC/probate court positions to align director/security pay; passed 9–0). The council recorded both as revenue-neutral transfers within the 2026 budget.
Next steps: Administrative updating of payroll coding and account assignments to reflect the transferred salary sources.
