Dubois County Council signs salary ordinance change, commits funds for Birdseye wastewater and amends monument maintenance fund

The Dubois County Council on Monday approved a set of personnel and budget actions including a change to the county Salary Ordinance, a commitment of county funds to a wastewater project, and an amendment to the courthouse monument maintenance fund.

President Michael W. Kluesner called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. and the council moved through routine business before taking several substantive votes affecting county budgets and staff pay.

Purdue Extension Director Chelsea Brewer asked the council to reallocate wages within her department after the previous office manager retired. Brewer proposed lowering the Office Manager’s pay to $1,494.50 bi‑weekly and raising two Program Assistants to $1,575.00 bi‑weekly without increasing the department’s overall budget. President Kluesner moved to freeze the 2025 wages for the two Program Assistants and to lower the 2025 Office Manager wage to $1,494.50 bi‑weekly; Sonya Haas seconded the motion. The motion carried 5–2, with Alex P. Hohl and Doug Uebelhor voting no. Auditor Sandra L. Morton then presented an amendment to the Salary Ordinance to lower the Office Manager wage effective Aug. 25, 2025; the ordinance amendment was signed.

Coroner Katie Schuck presented the department’s proposed 2026 budget, which includes a 7% wage increase for coroner office employees. Schuck cited travel costs, shift work, autopsy coverage and casework as reasons for the request and noted possible operational changes if the current pathologist retires or as a result of Deaconess assuming operations at Memorial Hospital. She also said Becher Kluesner Funeral Home has long served as the morgue at times and that trustees typically pay no more than $500 toward cremation even though base cremation can cost about $2,500.

On a separate item, President Kluesner reported the Town of Birdseye was awarded a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant for a wastewater project. Auditor Morton asked when the county’s pledged $350,000 would be provided; Ryan Craig moved to provide the funds in December 2025, Deena J. Lewis seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Auditor Morton also briefed the council on changes from House Enrolled Act 1392, effective July 1, 2025, which modify distribution procedures for the Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax and the Financial Institution Tax so county auditors now rely on the State Comptroller’s lump‑sum report. Morton requested that the county’s portion be deposited into the County General Fund; Ryan Craig moved to approve the request, Alex P. Hohl seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

Regarding upkeep of courthouse property, Morton asked for an additional $1,734 in the Courthouse Fountain Maintenance Fund for services, but noted quotes indicated that amount would not cover a pump repair. The council agreed to delay repairing the pump until 2026, to budget $1,734 in the fountain maintenance fund, and to add $8,200 to Courthouse Annex maintenance in the General Fund.

Auditor Morton introduced Resolution 2025‑10 to amend the purposes of the Courthouse Monument Maintenance Fund to allow the POW‑MIA monument on courthouse grounds to be maintained from that fund. The resolution notes the Jasper American Legion Post 147 accepted donations for the POW‑MIA monument and that remaining funds will be given to the county for upkeep. Ryan Craig moved to adopt Resolution 2025‑10; Michael W. Kluesner seconded and the council adopted the resolution unanimously.

The council reviewed changes made during departmental budget reviews; Deputy Auditor Brooke Greenwell announced the 2026 Budget Public Hearing will be Oct. 14, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. and that Budget Adoption is scheduled for Oct. 27, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. With no further business, the council adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

Votes at a glance: The meeting record shows approval of the July 28 and Aug. 13 minutes; the Salary Ordinance amendment lowering the Office Manager wage (motion by President Michael W. Kluesner; second Sonya Haas; carried 5–2 with Alex P. Hohl and Doug Uebelhor dissenting); a unanimous commitment to provide $350,000 to the Town of Birdseye in December 2025 (motion by Ryan Craig; second Deena J. Lewis); a unanimous vote to deposit the county’s share of HEA 1392 distributions into the County General Fund (motion by Ryan Craig; second Alex P. Hohl); and unanimous adoption of Resolution 2025‑10 (motion by Ryan Craig; second Michael W. Kluesner).