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Steuben County Council adopts 2026 budget after heated debate over wages and highway engineer pay
Summary
The Steuben County Council on Oct. 14 approved a $39,998,883 2026 budget after hours of debate over a previously approved 5% wage increase, a failed effort to cut it to 3.5%, and competing proposals for the highway engineer's pay; the council also set the engineer's 2025 pay at $112,796.79 and approved a $120,000.12 2026 salary per a later motion.
The Steuben County Council approved the county's 2026 budget at its Oct. 14 meeting in Angola after extended debate over employee wage increases and the highway engineer's salary. The budget order (Resolution No. 10-2025-02) lists a 2026 operating budget of $39,998,883, and the county noted an expected $194,648 in additional appropriations after the new year for a total approved amount of $40,193,531.
Why it matters: The wage decisions and the highway engineer pay affect county payroll and reserves going into 2026 and followed weeks of budget sessions and competing interpretations of prior council intent.
County Auditor Kelli Johnson presented the budget and reminded the council that the wage adjustments recommended by the WIS study were meant to bring county employees to the 2024 midpoint and did not include a cost-of-living increase for 2025 or 2026. Council members debated whether to rescind a previously approved 5% across-the-board wage increase or reduce it to 3.5%. Councilwoman Lisa Aldrich moved to rescind the 5% increase and instead apply 3.5%; the motion failed 3'4 (ayes: Caruso, Aldrich, Cress; nays: Prall, Carper, Beer, McClanahan).
Council members also questioned the fiscal impact on cash reserves. Councilwoman Christina Cress said the county risked overspending, stating, "the County was going to burn cash," during the discussion. Councilwoman Renee Carper cautioned that reversing an approved increase could harm employee morale.
Separately, councilmembers debated the Highway Engineer's pay. Councilwoman Cress said the prior (2024) council intended the Highway Engineer's 2025 salary to be $112,796.79 and moved to set it at that figure retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025; that motion carried unanimously. The County Commission subsequently asked the council to approve a $120,000.12 salary retroactive to May 13, 2025; the council left the 2025 salary at $112,796.79 and asked for a modified Ordinance No. 1053 to reflect the council's position. In later discussions tied to the 2026 budget, the council voted to set the Highway Engineer's 2026 annual salary at $120,000.12 (motion carried 7-0 for that 2026 figure in the separate wage motion noted during budget discussions).
On final votes, the council approved the 2026 Budget Order and Resolution No. 10-2025-02 by a vote of six ayes and one nay (Christina Cress). The record also shows the council considered stipend adjustments for the Auditor but did not adopt changes at this meeting.
What's next: The council directed staff to modify Ordinance No. 1053 to reflect the council's decisions about the Highway Engineer's salary and to present that revision at the Nov. 12 council meeting. The council also tabled review of one page of the September financial reports until November because it did not scan correctly.
This account is based on the Oct. 14, 2025 Steuben County Council meeting minutes; vote tallies and dollar amounts are taken from the council record.
