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Steuben County Council approves multiple appropriations, $2M transfer and salary ordinance amendment
Summary
At its Aug. 12 meeting the Steuben County Council approved several budget actions — including a $64,990.20 JDAI appropriation, health department grants, a $5,000 prosecutor transfer, and a $2,000,000 inter-fund transfer for health insurance claims (6–1) — and passed Salary Ordinance Amendment No. 1050 setting a part-time cap of $30/hour.
The Steuben County Council on Aug. 12 approved a series of budget moves and a personnel ordinance change during a regular meeting at the Steuben Community Center in Angola.
Trinity Wright, JDAI coordinator, requested an additional appropriation of $64,990.20 to Funds 9171 (Implementation) and 9172 (Programming) from the JDAI Annual Grant to support juvenile justice programming and implementation; Councilwoman Ruth Beer moved to approve and Vice President Christina Cress seconded. The motion carried with seven ayes and zero nays (SEG 009).
Health Department Administrator Alicia Walsh asked the council to approve two additional appropriations tied to public health grants: $20,000 to Fund 8112 (PHEP grant) and $28,655.95 to Fund 8100 (Immunization/Vaccine Grant). Both requests were approved unanimously (SEG 010).
Prosecuting Attorney Travis Musser and Office Manager Nicci Upp requested a $5,000 transfer to cover a Deputy Prosecutor wage after the STOP grant ends Sept. 30, 2025; the council approved the transfer 7–0 (SEG 010). Musser separately presented his 2026 budget request and emphasized the department’s need for another full-time deputy because case filings are at record highs (SEG 011).
County Auditor Kelli Johnson brought forward Salary Ordinance Amendment No. 1050 (amending Ordinance No. 1024), which the council passed. The amendment set a part-time wage cap for the reclassified employee not to exceed $30.00 per hour; the council suspended the rules and approved the ordinance’s 2nd and 3rd readings on Aug. 12, 2025 (motion by Bill McClanahan; second by Ruth Beer) (SEG 016).
IT Director Nicci Colby requested a part-time wage exception so an employee who moved to part-time could retain their $29.30 hourly rate retroactive to July 24, 2025; the council approved the exception and later approved a $15,000 funds transfer within IT payroll lines (both motions carried 7–0) (SEG 015, SEG 017).
Auditor Johnson also requested an inter-fund transfer of $2,000,000 to cover health insurance claims. That transfer passed with six ayes and one nay; Vice President Christina Cress cast the lone dissenting vote. The motion was moved by Councilman Eric Prall and seconded by Councilwoman Renee Carper (SEG 018).
The council approved Grant Agreement No. 2026 CMPILOT08 — a misdemeanor pilot program grant from the Commission of Court Appointed Attorneys — after a presentation by HR Administrator Erin Schiffli and Chief Public Defender Foy McNaughton; the motion carried 7–0 (SEG 021–022).
Other routine actions included approval of Additional Appropriation Resolution No. 08-2025-01, acceptance of the July 2025 Monthly Comparison Report and Financial Statement, and approval of existing meeting minutes (SEG 023–026).
The council recessed for lunch to continue departmental budget reviews and reconvened later in the day to complete the remaining presentations (SEG 029).
