Jefferson County Council approves updated sheriff's commissary fund ordinance

The Jefferson County Council completed the first reading and voted to adopt Ordinance 2026-1, a supplement to the county sheriff's commissary fund that lists additional permissible expenditures under Indiana law. The Chair read the ordinance title and scope, citing Indiana Code 36-8-10-21 as the statutory authority.

"Ordinance 2026-1, Ordinance of the Jefferson County Council, Jefferson County Sheriff's Commissary Fund supplement," the Chair read during the first reading. The ordinance text enumerates specific allowable uses including advertising and public-safety information distribution; reimbursements to staff for training-related items; pre-employment evaluations and ILEA attire; community event participation; office maintenance and IT updates; law-enforcement memberships; inmate activities and program support; cellular service; meals for special programming; firearms and ammunition for official duties; criminal investigations at the sheriff's discretion; recognition and condolence costs; attorney fees; replacement of lost or stolen property; and training-related conference costs.

Councilors moved to forego the usual second and third readings for this non-controversial update that aligns the county code with state law and then voted to approve the ordinance the same night. The clerk will circulate copies for signature, and staff said the ordinance will be incorporated into the Jefferson County Code of Ordinances.

The ordinance explicitly references Indiana Code 36-8-10-21 as the legal basis for the listed expenditures. The council did not provide an itemized funding reallocation in the meeting; implementation will depend on future budget line-item transfers and available line-item balances.