The Daviess County Council paved the way to put funding on track for the courthouse renovation project without raising taxes. Council Chairman Tony Duncheon reported that the Council had rejected a suggestion from financial advisors to consider raising the property tax rate by a quarter of one percent to fund the renovation bond issue. Instead, they will issue a $5 million bond for the project while using $7 million from county funds to pay the rest of the estimated $12 million for the project.
In regular business, the Council approved fund transfers for the Sheriff’s Department and the Auditors Office. The change was a result of an employee returning from the sheriff’s department and an employee leaving the auditor’s office. The Council agreed to a request from the Airport to use unspent money in the manager’s salary line for continued summer help.
The Council also approved a request from Superior Court Judge Dean Sobecki for an additional $12,000 for jury pay for the Superior Court. Sobecki said that the State Legislature doubled the pay required for jurors. The Judge said the request was an estimate based on expected trials for the rest of the year.
In other business, the Council received a report on the Security Center Commissary Fund, echoed the County Commissioners approval of the proposed HELP projects presented by Community Coordinator Amber Werden, and approved expenditures in the West Boggs Park budget.
It was also announced that the Council will conduct the annual budget hearings on September 6 and 7.