Published: July 03, 2008 11:03 am         

Fountain council denies pay request

COVINGTON, Ind. — The Fountain County Council denied a request from Prosecutor Terry Martin for payment of $1,200 each to two employees in his office out of the Title IV-D Incentive money.

Martin submitted the claim to Auditor Colleen Chambers with an attached note: “distribution from the county treasury un-der subsection (a) shall be made without the necessity of first obtaining an appropriation from the county fiscal body.”

Chambers brought the request to the council, which voted unanimously against the payment of the incentive money to keep all employees on an equal basis and to comply with the salary ordinance that is in place.

Chambers will check with the State Board of Accounts as to their position on this matter.

In other business, councilmen:

-- Heard from Sheriff Bobby Bass on the accident involving a deputy who swerved to miss a deer. The car was a total loss.

Bass stated he needed an additional $16,000 to replace the car for a total of $34,000, which includes another deputy’s car that also was totaled in a recent accident.

Chief Deputy Dale Jeffries said a dealer in Bloomington has three cars on the lot, but they need a definite commitment from the commissioners and the council. The council will support the commissioners if they approve of a new vehicle.

-- Discussed with Judge Susan Henderson and Cindy Mason regarding the potential money left in the Department of Children and Family fund at the end of 2008.

The money is required by the state to be put in the excess levy fund, which is to be used to reduce the maximum levy. It cannot be used to continue to fund the programs that are in place at this time. Henderson stated her budget would reflect some of these changes for 2009.

-- Discussed with Assessor Sandy Whitaker her budget for 2009. Due to a new ruling, the trustees will no longer do the assessing. It will fall back to the assessor’s office, and one person will not be able to cover the whole county. She will ask for additional money in the county general and cumulative reassessment.

-- Received a request from the health department to increase mileage paid to employees from 40 cents to 50 cents per mile. The state has increased its rate to 44 cents per mile. No decision was made.

-- Heard from Commissioner that the commissioners decided June 16 to advertise for a Guaranteed Energy Savings contract to address the repairs at the jail.

-- Approved an additional request of $500,000 in the 2008 Motor Vehicle Highway budget maintenance and repair under miscellaneous bridge work.

-- Transferred $1,576.03 in the custodian’s budget from building structure and repair to maintenance and repair.

-- Voted to keep the surtax/wheel tax for 2009.

-- Appointed Tom Schott to the Attica Public Library Board and Penny Wrighthouse to the Wabash Valley Hospital Board.



WHAT’S NEXT

The Fountain County Council will meet at 9 a.m. EDT July 28 at the courthouse.