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Council approves EMS Administrator role, reviews public defender staffing plan and hears SB1 fiscal analysis
Summary
The council approved a new EMS Administrator job description, reviewed a proposed staffing plan for a future Public Defender Office (no action taken), and heard a Peters Franklin LTD analysis that SB1 changes phase in starting 2026 with the biggest impacts in 2028; budget workshops were scheduled.
Human Resources Administrator Erin Schiffli presented a new EMS Administrator job description on May 13 that will replace the EMS Director role and emphasize "in office" administration. The council voted 6-0 to approve the new position, with Councilwoman Ruth Beer moving and Councilman Bill McClanahan seconding the motion.
Schiffli also listed proposed positions and suggested salaries for a future Public Defender Office—one chief public defender, one public defender, two paralegals and one receptionist—but the council took no action on creating the office at this meeting. Auditor Kelli Johnson said Maintenance Director Austin Keck had obtained a single renovation quote for a potential public defender office and that she was awaiting additional estimates.
Nichole Franklin of Peters Franklin LTD presented a 2026 fiscal analysis and an overview of SB1, saying the law's changes begin phasing in in 2026 and the most impactful changes are expected to start in 2028. Franklin discussed options the county could consider to offset revenue losses and noted that Steuben County is expected to be affected less than many other Indiana counties. The council scheduled 2026 budget workshops for Sept. 3, 4 and 9, 2025 at 8:00 a.m., moved the regular September meeting to Sept. 16 and agreed to extend the August meeting for department budget presentations.
