Council amends salary ordinance, approves vehicle and furnaces for group homes after debate over non-reverting fund

The Vigo County Council on April 28 approved an amendment to the county salary ordinance to permit two $2,000 stipends for group-home house managers and passed several appropriations to support the county’s group-home operations.

Norm Lok, director of the county group homes, told the council the homes have operated since October and requested flexibility to pay two house managers a one-time $2,000 stipend each and to purchase operational items without returning monthly for small line-item approvals. "They're managing people at those homes and do those additional responsibilities," Lok said when describing the house managers' duties. He also asked the council to approve a transportation van and maintenance items to keep services running.

Council members debated two competing priorities: operational agility for the director versus formal appropriation and advertising requirements under county rules. Several members noted county commissioners had previously established an ordinance directing 25% of state child-placement payments into a non-reverting fund earmarked for group-home operations, and the director said the non-reverting fund balance was approximately $189,000. But council members pointed out that new appropriations and changes to salary ordinances still must follow council advertising and appropriation rules.

After discussion the council voted to open and amend the salary ordinance to create a stipen line allowing the two $2,000 payments (vote recorded in roll call). Director Lok withdrew a simultaneous advertised request to take the stipend from the general fund and said he would re-file the appropriation to draw the $4,000 from the non-reverting fund if the council chose.

Separately, the council amended and approved an appropriation of $39,000 to buy a 2024 Ford Transit transportation van for group-home use. Lok said the purchase agreement was with a local vendor, Dorsets Auto, and that the county commissioners will take title and provide insurance for the vehicle. "We have a vehicle that's been held at Dorsets Auto that's been holding for almost a month and I don't want them to try to say, 'Well, sorry,'" Lok said when asking the council to act.

The council also approved an appropriation to replace two furnaces at the Glenn home; that smaller capital request passed by roll call.

The practical effect, council members said, will be to let the group homes operate while retaining the council’s role in larger appropriations and oversight. Council President Steve Ellis said the council will review the non-reverting fund and group-home spending in December as proposed by some members.

What’s next: Lok said he will withdraw the advertised general-fund stipend request and re-submit it to draw from the non-reverting fund, and the county will complete the vehicle purchase and furnace work under the approved appropriations.