The Daviess County Council met for its May meeting Wednesday morning. The Council heard a report from Chief Deputy Sheriff Steve Sturgis on the Security Center’s Commissary Fund. The Commissary Fund helps defray costs of the Sheriff’s Department, helping pay for items such as deputy training. Sturgis reported that due to recently passed state legislation, the Commissary Fund will lose between $30,000 and $35,000 over the next year.
The Council also heard a report from Greg Jones of the Southern Indiana Development Corporation. Jones outlined the success of the six-county regional land bank in getting derelict properties rehabilitated and back on the tax rolls. In Daviess County, Jones pointed to properties near the WestGate area in the northern part of the county and said that progress is being made on the Tokheim property on the west side of Washington. Jones also discussed the need for increased water flow in the WestGate area, and as of Tuesday’s County Commissioners meeting, the Council expressed concerns about turning projects funded by Daviess County being turned over to Greene County entities.
In other business, the Council passed a declaratory resolution as the first step in granting tax abatements to J. Wagler Family Properties on a new industrial structure located just west of the Odon exchange on I-69. Real property would see a ten-year abatement schedule, while personal property would see a five-year schedule. The Council also approved a $10,000 contribution to the North Daviess Community Growth Alliance to supplement a $10,000 contribution from the Odon Town Council for the Alliance’s Facade Grant program. The Facade Grant Program will be similar to the program instituted by Discover Downtown Washington. The Council also approved appropriation of funds received from Community Corrections and the Health Department, and the Council approved additional pay for election workers and overtime for Central Dispatch.
The Council also approved the recommendation of the County Salary Committee granting county workers a 3 1/2 percent raise in the 2027 County budget.
