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Whitley County Council advances personnel-ordinance change, boosts drainage line and freezes select salaries
Summary
At its meeting tonight the Whitley County Council approved the first reading of an amended personnel ordinance to move procedures into HR policy, voted to increase the highway drainage line for 2027 to $50,000, authorized presentation of a Baker Tilly MOU allocating costs by population, and approved freezes for several county positions’ 2027 salary increases.
Whitley County’s fiscal body voted tonight to move core personnel procedures out of ordinance and into an HR policy manual, shifted a highway drainage budget line for 2027 and approved a set of personnel freezes and an interagency memorandum of understanding for a Baker Tilly study.
Rob (speaker 3), who introduced the ordinance amendments, told the council personnel questions over the past two to three years prompted a recommendation to “convert ... to an HR policy” so the county would have more flexibility in everyday personnel decisions and face “less legal exposure.” The council moved to amend and restate Ordinance 2019-11 as Ordinance 2026-08 and approved the measure on first reading, 6-0, with Councilwoman Western absent.
The action will remove procedural details from the county ordinance and place them in a personnel policy manual, changing how hiring and related reviews are handled in routine cases; council members said the change is intended to give supervisors and HR greater day-to-day flexibility while preserving oversight. The council’s motion to adopt the ordinance on first reading carried without recorded individual roll-call votes other than the 6-0 tally in favor.
During budget discussion, Ryan (speaker 6) told the council the highway department’s drainage fund (account 117635800) is running a roughly $20,000 negative balance this year after paying for culverts and other work tied to chip-seal operations. He asked the council to consider increasing the 2027 drainage line to $60,000 to avoid frequent transfers. Councilors debated intermediate options; a motion to add $25,000 to the drainage line (raising the proposed 2027 line item to $50,000) was made and seconded, and the council approved the change unanimously, with Councilwoman Western absent. Council members noted that adding the line-item amount now does not alone approve the full 2027 budget, which must be adopted later.
The council also approved an interlocal MOU authorizing Whitley County to present a cost-sharing agreement for a Baker Tilly project at a regional ‘‘must’’ meeting. The MOU would have participating entities reimburse the county for their share of Baker Tilly’s work; the cost-allocation method presented is population-based. The council moved to approve the MOU pending county-attorney review and authorized staff to present it to partner entities; the motion passed unanimously.
On personnel, the county’s personnel committee recommended freezing pay increases for six specific roles — the health director, the JCAP coordinator, the reentry coordinator with community corrections, the community corrections office manager and deputy director, and, at her request, Paula’s position — for the 2027 budget cycle. The council approved the freezes by motion; members said the freezes would be reviewed annually and lifted when market comparisons indicate parity. The vote was recorded as unanimous among members present, with Councilwoman Western absent.
The council also approved the July 7 and July 8 meeting minutes as presented and received a brief commissioner report noting the county has engaged WIS to perform a salary analysis; results were expected next month. The chair closed regular business and announced an executive session to follow.
Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 2019-11 → amended and restated as Ordinance 2026-08 (first reading): passed 6-0 (Councilwoman Western absent). - Drainage line-item increase for 2027 (add $25,000 to proposed line, raising it to $50,000): passed unanimously (Councilwoman Western absent). - MOU for Baker Tilly cost-sharing (approval to present to partners, pending attorney review): passed unanimously. - Freeze of specified positions’ 2027 pay increases: passed unanimously. - Approval of July 7 and July 8 minutes: passed unanimously.
Key next steps: the ordinance will return for a second reading as required for ordinance adoption; the 2027 budget, including any line-item changes, must still be formally adopted in a later session; partner entities will consider the Baker Tilly MOU at their own boards. The council scheduled follow-up on budget transfers and expects the WIS salary-analysis report next month.
