Morgan County Council approves $110,000 insurance appropriation, $100,353 for humane society and multiple budget and personnel changes

Morgan County Council approved a slate of budget appropriations and personnel changes at its regular meeting, including a $110,000 appropriation for insurance-related payments and $100,353 to cover services provided by the Humane Society of Morgan County.

County Administrator Kyle Swalls told the council the $110,000 request from the riverboat fund covers two insurance-related items: restoration work after a sprinkler activation at the Judicial Campus and a separate $25,000 deductible tied to an ongoing litigation matter. "The total damage amount was $84,480.22," Swalls said when describing the sprinkler-activation claim, and he told the council the county had received an insurance reimbursement and needed the appropriation to pay the contractor invoices.

Swalls also described two line items for animal-control services: $82,003.53 for regular runs and $18,000 for emergency runs. He said the county discovered its contract with the humane society had lapsed in July 2025 and that the society had continued to provide services. "They provided the service. Their people showed up to work and provided those services," Swalls said, urging council approval so the society could be paid for work already performed. On a voice vote the council approved the appropriation recorded in the motion as $100,353.

Council members asked several questions about warranty and vendor liability related to the sprinkler activation and whether the county could later pursue vendor reimbursement if the laboratory testing determined vendor fault. Swalls said the county has submitted the matter for laboratory testing and that, if reimbursement is later received, the funds would be returned to the fund balance and the council would be updated.

The meeting included other budget and personnel actions: the council approved closing out an obsolete bridge fund balance and moving remaining monies per the auditor's request; approved Drug-Free Community Fund grant allocations after a presentation by Barb Dinwiddie, executive director of the Morgan County Substance Abuse Council; approved an internal transfer to adjust the building-and-grounds director's salary; and approved job-description and salary-ordinance updates (including new maintenance positions and two jail positions) recommended by the job maintenance committee.

Other personnel changes approved included a plan to allow the highway department to hire mechanics and provide in-house CDL training within nine months, and creation of a part-time recycling-center position (20 hours per week at $20.40/hour) to handle increased center traffic, both approved on motion.

The council also conducted annual compliance reviews of two property-tax abatements (West Point Building 5 LLC and Deckers Outdoor); staff reported no compliance issues and the council approved findings of substantial compliance.

What happens next: Council members said they will monitor the sprinkler/litigation insurance matters and will accept reimbursement back into the fund if vendors or insurers pay later. The county administrator and auditor will bring forward any required follow-up or contract documentation in future meetings.