The Way to receive beneficial opioid settlement funds

SPENCER COUNTY — As for new county business, county councilors approved a commissioners decision to use $10,000 from the opioid settlement for The Way of Rockport Indiana Inc., an alternate resource to incarceration for offenders. Spencer County has put together a settlement advisory committee to determine the best use of the funds.

Insurance costs are higher this year for the county, increasing to $308,800. Council was able to reduce the cost since first hearing about it in February and approved the new cost.

Council also changed the due date for insurance renewal. They found renewal was inconvenient for those following an election loss, since they would have to fill out renewals, then would leave office, only to be replaced by people who could take on insurance after the application process. They changed the renewal date to April 1 annually.

The coroners office was approved for an additional $20,000 for autopsies this year. Council members commented any funds not used would roll back to general funds at the end of the year.

The sheriffs office was approved for an additional $11,900 for further outfitting new sheriff vehicles. While the vehicles were already purchased, they need outfitting with decals, lights and the containment cage, among other things.

The sheriff office will also receive more new radios to ensure everyone in the department, including reserve officers, receive one. Council approved an additional $13,000. The radios were previously paid for by a grant.

Brining the sheriff office to a full staff, council approved $1,000 for training.

With a fully staffed office, the sheriff requested $10,000 for more police equipment and hardware, including protective vests.

In response to a small miscalculation, council approved $1 to round off a fee for family recovery court.

The county health department is using the remains of a grant, the 9-1 Co-Ag Grant, to purchase vaping monitors into school bathrooms. Council approved $102,000 for the monitors.

The funds are leftover from the pandemic, which the health department said is required to be used in the school system and can cover supplies and equipment, such as defibrillators, and health screenings, substance abuse items and training.

Monitors will be placed in all the schools. South Spencer is receiving 33 units; St. Bernard Catholic School is receiving six monitors and one defibrillator; and North Spencer is receiving 15 defibrillators.

The health department is receiving a state annual survey grant. The grant is for office supplies and shelves.

Transfer funds covered sheriff services, moving money to personal services from communications directors payroll for about $1,200. Council also moved sheriff office overtime funds to the communication directors payroll, then moved 18 cents to pay into salaries.

The health department also received a transfer of funds from the co-ag to fill funds for last year, including FICA and equipment.

Council also decreased office manager fund to transfer to contract maintenance at the health department. The health department vaccine freezer required maintenance.

Council handled encumbrance bills, which were expenses from last year being paid this year.

Encumbrances are typically paid with unused funds from the previous year. County Auditor Melissa Bunner and Council President Aaron Benton explained encumbrances. For example, if the previous year budget had $100,000 set aside for a project and only $50,000 was paid out in that year, the remaining $50,000 could be placed in an encumbrance fund to hold for the remaining project bill. If an encumbrance was not created, the remaining $50,000 would roll back into the General Fund.

Councilors David Gogel and Benton noted an encumbrance bill for highway work that paid for an outsourced contract issued last year and billed for this year. Council wondered whether they should pay, since the full work had not been completed. They already had $2 million for the project, Benton noted, which was allotted for $2.2 million. The bill came in for an additional $600,000, which caused Benton to voice his concern that they could lose control over the spending on the project and "run into the red."

Highway Superintendent Dale Kenney explained purchasing material now and stockpiling it, such as gravel, could save money later when they needed it for the work, avoiding seasonal cost increases.

The encumbrance passed five to one.

American Rescue Plan Act fund current balance is $47,000, councilors noted at the meeting. Requests are still being considered for the remaining funds. Council approved $28,500 for an enhanced law enforcement computer aided dispatch system, which would link Spencer County to the rest of the nation for searching information on a variety of law enforcement situations.

County commission had approved $46,000 for the CAD system, with council approving $28,500 to get it started.

Councilors also addressed a special $50,000 grant to use on jail repairs. A stipulation of the grant requires using American made products, which would be everything, including jail doors and protective glass. The council approved running the legal announcement for the grant's use.

Sheriffs office is looking into a $150,000 grant for upgrades to its internal communication system. The grant could also cover funding to expand the communication system to include other emergency services. The upgrade would improve the CAD system.