All members of the Kosciusko County Council were in attendance at Thursday night’s meeting. Shown from left are Dave Wolkins, Joe Irwin, Kathleen Groninger, Tony Ciriello, Kimberly Cates, DeLynn Geiger and Rachael Rhoades. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — A number of transfers were approved by the Kosciusko County Council Thursday night, Aug. 14, including 24 totaling over $219,000 for the county clerk’s office for voting equipment.

The smallest transfer for the voting equipment was $400, while the largest was for $50,000.

County Clerk Melissa Boggs said the total of the transfers was $219,797 and was to pay the remaining balance of the new voting equipment that they received. She said they encumbered the funds that were leftover from 2024 to 2025 for this particular purchase.

“We did receive the voting machines, 200 of them,” she stated.

Councilman Dave Wolkins asked how old were the voting machines that were replaced. Boggs said they were 20 years old.

“We had a total of 220 machines. Since we went to Vote Centers, we can reduce the number to 200, so we replaced 200 with the new ones and we have 20 backups still under the old machines, in case needed,” Boggs said. The new voting machines are updated and have clearer images.

“We plan on bringing them by, probably at the beginning of next year, to do a demonstration for you all so that way you guys can see them. They’re much nicer and just updated and clearer,” Boggs said. “I think it will make voting easier because it’s much clearer on what selections were made.”

Councilwoman Kimberly Cates asked what they were doing with the old voting machines. Boggs said the company took them back to recycle them.

Cates asked if the county got any credit for them, and Boggs said no. The council unanimously approved the 24 transfers as requested.

Jack Birch, public defender’s office, requested nine transfers totaling $26,000, with respect to the supplemental fund.

“We had appropriated initially, basically to cover salaries based upon the original proposed salary budget, which was just sort of a Band-Aid solution to start getting people paid. That had a category to cover an investigator. We’ve never hired an investigator and don’t plan to. But it had funding there. Obviously, we do need supplies and books and … things like that, so the investigator fund had $44,000 and we’re asking to transfer $26,000 to cover all of these different categories that we do need,” he explained.

The transfers were approved.Next, Birch presented an additional appropriation from the general fund for $188,000 to cover the remainder of 2025 contracts. He anticipated a significant amount of funds coming back from the judges’ budget that should make that appropriation a “wash.” The council approved the additional appropriation.

Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith and Matron Michelle Hyden presented four transfer requests totaling $28,000.One was for $5,000 from Work Release part-time to work release overtime; one was for $5,000 from sheriff’s office overtime to part-time; another was for $3,000 from; and the final was for $15,000 out of the sheriff’s budget.

On the $15,000 transfer, Smith said, “As you remember, you approved the new mechanic position. So these funds are a little tricky because you can only use them for” certain things. He said the mechanic is already up and running and they’ve already had several vehicles serviced out there. The sheriff’s department shares the mechanic with the highway department.

“It’s working well,” Smith stated.

County Auditor Alyssa Schmucker, on behalf of the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission, presented a request for an additional appropriation of $100,000 to get them through the rest of 2025. She said they won’t use it all and their cash balance as of Thursday was around $800,000.

“So the money is there. They just need approval to apply for the additional appropriation,” she said.

The KCCRVC distributes the innkeepers’ tax that is collected for the county. Schmucker said the KCCRVC has about $300,000 worth of appropriation to spend this year, with two meetings left. The council approved the additional appropriation.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a letter of support for South Shore Ventures’ development project, as presented by co-owner Nate Scherer. The council will sign a similar letter to what the county commissioners approved on Tuesday after the county attorney reviews and approves it.

• Heard the second quarter update from Stillwater Hospice.

• Heard the second quarter Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program update from Community Coordinator Amy Roe.

• Heard Council President Tony Ciriello read the council’s budget review of taxing units and non-binding recommendation.