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Adams County board approves state‑mandated COLA for three offices and clears tax‑sale actions
Summary
The board approved Ordinance 202607001014 applying a 4.1% state‑mandated COLA to the state's attorney, public defender and sheriff salaries and approved resolutions to assign a tax‑sale certificate and to process two tax‑sale parcels; several board members raised concerns about tax‑sale process transparency and land‑banking options.
The Adams County Board voted to approve a state‑mandated cost‑of‑living adjustment for three county offices and cleared multiple tax‑sale resolutions during its July 14 meeting.
Finance Committee Chair Travis Cooley introduced Ordinance 202607001014, which implements a 4.1% COLA for the state's attorney, the public defender and the sheriff as required by state mandate. Chairman Brett Austin explained the county is reimbursed for portions of those salaries — Cooley said the county receives roughly two‑thirds reimbursement for the three positions (the public defender's pay is set at 90% of the state's attorney base and the sheriff at 80%) — and the board approved the ordinance by voice vote.
The board then considered Resolution 202607001015, authorizing the county’s tax‑sale agent to assign a tax‑sale certificate (purchase number 2024‑0087). Cooley told the board the resolution simply permits the county's trustee to assign certificates, a practice already in use, but several members and the chairman noted the process contains "gray areas" and discussed options such as listing common addresses in notices and creating a land bank to prevent speculative purchases that leave properties derelict. Cooley said the matter had been reviewed in finance committee and described the vote as routine; the roll call recorded 16 in favor and 5 absent and the resolution passed.
Two additional tax‑sale parcel resolutions (0726001 for parcel 235047300000 in Quincy Township and 0726002 for parcel 180087500000 in Payson Township) were presented and approved in a roll call vote; the clerk recorded 16 yes votes and 5 absent.
Board members discussed whether the county should require more locality or an address on tax‑sale postings to help local buyers and support community outcomes rather than purely financial returns. Chairman Austin cautioned against over‑restricting sales in a way that could reduce county revenue from tax sales, while noting a land‑bank ordinance would be one legislative route to address repeated bad actors.
On procedural notes, the board scheduled standard budget timing and Cooley outlined a plan to route initial department budget presentations through standing committees beginning in August to broaden board engagement ahead of formal budget deliberations in September and October.
Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 202607001014 (COLA for state's attorney, public defender, sheriff): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 202607001015 (assignment of tax‑sale certificate 2024‑0087): approved, roll call 16 yes, 5 absent. - Resolutions 0726001 and 0726002 (tax‑sale parcels in Quincy and Payson townships): approved, roll call 16 yes, 5 absent.
The board will consider any ordinance to change tax‑sale notice practice or to create a land bank at a future meeting.
