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Harrison County Council approves new problem‑solving court staff position
Summary
The council voted 7‑0 to add a 30‑hour‑per‑week position for the county problem‑solving court at a $60,000 annual salary, with funding split between the infraction deferral fund and the opioid settlement grant and benefits paid from asset forfeiture for four years.
Chairman Kyle Nix presided as County Prosecutor Otto Schalk requested a new 30‑hour‑per‑week employee to expand Harrison County’s problem‑solving court. Schalk said the proposed position would focus on addressing underlying issues that contribute to criminal behavior and would be paid a $60,000 annual salary with eligibility for health insurance only.
Schalk proposed funding half of the salary from the infraction deferral fund and half from the opioid settlement grant fund, with the prosecutor’s asset forfeiture fund covering FICA and health insurance if needed. He told the council the structure would fund the position for four years and that alternative funding would be required in year five.
Councilman Jake Blackman moved to approve the position with a start date of April 1, 2026; Councilwoman Holli Castetter seconded. "The motion carried with a vote of 7 ayes and 0 nays," the record shows. The council’s unanimous vote authorized the hiring and the funding approach Schalk outlined.
The action is limited to the budget structure presented; the prosecutor signaled that long‑term funding beyond four years had not been identified and would require future council action.
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