Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
CLAYPOOL - The Claypool Town Council heard an update from Baker Tilly on its financials during a council meeting on Tuesday.
Nicole Grzybowski, with Baker Tilly, provided a summary on the town's 2026 budget. She noted legislative changes to property taxes, property tax credits, deductions and local income tax. Grzybowski said the state's legislative services agency released a document in April that provided estimates of the impacts each governing unit would see in Indiana as a result of these changes. Currently, it's estimated Claypool's loss for 2026 would be just shy of $6,000 due to these changes.
"These are estimates provided by the state," said Grzybowski. "As you can imagine, there's a lot of units within Indiana, and in order to go into each detailed assumption, they had to use a general blanket assumption for the majority of what they were trying to calculate. Will this be the actual number that Claypool will see impacted for 2026? We really won't know until 2026 comes."
Grzybowski also said there have been slight increases to Claypool's local income tax amounts year-over-year, but that the legislative changes that go into effect in 2028 will change how local income tax is received.
"In order for the town to receive local income tax in 2028, you would have to petition to your county to have them adopt a local income tax so that you can receive a portion of that allocation," said Grzybowski.
Grzybowski said in the last two years, the town's general fund has struggled to keep up with expenses and asked the council to consider shifting some personal services within the budget. By June 30, Claypool had about 27% of its full budget left for the year.
"You're really going to have to proceed with caution for your general fund," said Grzybowski.
Following Grzybowski's presentation, the council had a first reading of the 2026 budget, which totals $302,970 and is categorized as follows: general, $191,570; local roads and streets, $23,000; motor vehicle highway, $31,000; cemetery, $4,000; cumulative capital improvements, $1,000; cumulative capital development, $7,400; and economic development income tax credit, $45,000. The budget will be adopted at the council's October meeting.
Halloween Events
Donna Morris attended the meeting to request Main Street be blocked off from Section Street to the post office for trunk or treat, which will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31. Council approved the closure, with the road to be closed off beginning at 5:30 p.m.
"We're in hopes that the town council, residents, area businesses, would participate in making this a fun and safe Halloween for the kids," said Morris.
Door-to-door trick or treat hours for Claypool are from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31.
More Habitat Homes
Council President Benny Stage Jr. told those in attendance that Ben Logan, Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County's executive director, contacted him about building two homes at 206 S. Clay St. The layout would be very similar to two homes built in March 2024 on Graceland Avenue. Habitat is in the process of getting a variance for road frontage for the property.
The council also scheduled a TIF meeting for 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22 to discuss funding the winterization of the town's pond by removing its pump.
Council's next meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Claypool Lions Club building.
