Kosciusko County Council members from left are Dave Wolkins, Joe Irwin, Vice President Kathy Groninger, President Tony Ciriello, Kimberly Cates, DeLynn Geiger and Rachael Rhoades. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Hopes by the probation department to give its overloaded officers a competitive wage for 2025 were dashed Thursday night, June 12, by the Kosciusko County Council after receiving advice from the county’s financial consultant.

The probation department, along with Superior Court II Judge Torrey Bauer, appeared before the council at their May 8 meeting seeking an additional appropriation of $189,293.80 for 2025 to cover the increase of wages for each probation officer for this year. Human Resource Director Cathy Reed told the council the request would be covered by user fees.

A market rate analysis conducted by Probation Officers Professional Association of Indiana showed Kosciusko County’s probation officers were underpaid. Probation officers told the council it was difficult to hire and retain probation officers at the current salary. As of the May 8 meeting, there were 1,682 people on probation in Kosciusko County with three juvenile officers and nine adult officers to handle all the cases.

Thursday, additional appropriations for increases to the probation officers’ salaries for 2025, totaling $189,325, along with the salary ordinance amendments for those salaries, went before the county council for their approval. Council President Tony Ciriello said, “This was approved by the council at last month’s meeting, pending approval by Reedy Financial Group, who is our financial advisers. And within the last few days, we did receive correspondence from them.”

Council Vice President Kathy Groninger, who serves on the county wage committee, read the letter from Reedy to members of the wage committee. In the letter, Reedy Financial Group consultant Tyler Lewis says, “Reedy Financial Group has reviewed high-level information provided by the county regarding the probation department’s request for wage increases. According to the proposal, which reflects POPAI wage recommendations, the suggested increases range from approximately 16% to 22%, depending on years of service. In any year, this would represent a significant budgetary impact, and it is especially important to consider the implications as we approach fiscal year 2026.”

The letter recommends a “cautious and sustainable” approach to the request and lists four factors the county should consider.

The first factor is Senate Bill 1, signed into law on April 15, which introduces “substantial changes that are expected to reduce property tax revenues.” There will be increased deductions on Homestead and 2% property classifications as the bill phases in . There is also the introduction of a 10% Homestead property tax credit.

The second factor is the “potential for additional legislative changes in the coming years” that remain uncertain.

The third factor, according to Reedy, is that “probation user fees may not always be able to sustain a balance that would support the wage increases, shifting full financial responsibility for funding to the county.”

And the last factor cited by Reedy is “wage adjustments are permanent and reversing increases is generally not a viable or practical option.”

The letter concludes by stating, “While the county’s current financial position remains strong, it is essential to continue making prudent, long-term fiscal decisions. RFG also advises that this raise request could set a bad precedent and have a negative effect on other employees. In sum, RFG advises that the raise request is not prudent and that the council deny the raise request as presented. Lastly, we recommend that employee raises be considered as a whole during the budgetary process when more information is available and a more informed decision can be made.”

Ciriello then said approval for the raises was made in May with the caveat it would be reviewed by Reedy. He said Reedy’s recommendation was the raises were not sustainable and they would not recommend the county go forward with them.

Councilman DeLynn Geiger made a motion to deny the probation officers’ additional salaries for 2025, and Councilman Joe Irwin seconded the motion. It passed 6-1, with Councilwoman Kimberly Cates opposed. Cates also sits on the county’s wage committee.

In other business, the council:

• Heard 2026 budget presentations from six local nonprofits. No action was taken on the requests. The commissioners heard the request at their June 3 meeting.Cardinal Services requested $111,373 for 2026, up from $108,129 in 2025. Stillwater Hospice requested $50,000 for 2026, the same as 2025. Kosciusko County Historical Society requested $24,000 for 2026, up from $23,230 in 2025. The Beaman Home requested $40,000 for 2026, up from $33,425 in 2025. Kosciusko Community Senior Services requested $33,425 for 2026, the same as 2025. Kosciusko County 4-H Council requested a 2% increase for 2026 from $46,590 in 2025 to $47,521.71 in 2026.

• Approved the additional appropriation for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office to use the funds it’s already received from its 2025-26 Indiana Department of Natural Resources grant, as requested by Chief Deputy Chris McKeand. He said the grant funds miscellaneous expenses and salaries for the boat patrol that the sheriff’s office has on various lakes in the county. The three funds are $2,500; $5,000; and $7,500.

• Approved McKeand’s request to apply for a nonmatching $250,000 Safer Outcomes: De-Escalation and Crisis Response for Law Enforcement grant through the U.S. Department of Justice. He said if the sheriff’s department is awarded the grant, it will provide the funding for them to upgrade their training from their hands-on and 2D training to virtual reality training. The county commissioners previously approved the request.

• Approved a request from Bill Holder, GIS, for an additional appropriation for $3,920 from the electronic data equipment fund to purchase a large format printer.

• Approved a request from Jack Birch, who will become the county public defender July 1, for an additional appropriation – to cover the improvements that have already been started and almost finished — for construction ($92,000), computer hardware ($32,000) and office equipment ($67,570) for the new office. All of the money will be coming out of the public defender’s supplemental fund, which is based on fees collected from indigent defendants.

• Approved Kosciusko County Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver’s request for two transfers — $16,000 and $22,600 — out of the Health First Indiana Fund to cover two employees through the rest of 2025; and a salary ordinance amendment for the public health specialist’s salary to be in the Pat VI range and the part-time communicable disease nurse at $24.32 hourly.

• Heard from County Auditor Alyssa Schmucker that encumbrances for April 1 to May 3 were $10,754.21.

• Approved the reappointment of Ben Rice to the Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees.

• Reviewed and approved the tax abatements that currently are in service and that still qualify and are in compliance, which include Louis Dreyfus Co. and iDNA Series LLC.

• Heard an update on Fellowship Missions from Executive Director Eric Lane.