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Among the list of items approved by the Kosciusko County Council Thursday were the salary ordinance amendment for the probation officers’ $5,000 stipend and the KCODE 2026 budget.
Council President Tony Ciriello reminded the other council members at the Oct. 8 meeting, they voted 4-3 to provide the $5,000 retention bonus to probation officers who are gainfully employed with the county from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026. The salary ordinance amendment, which totals $65,000, for those stipends was presented to the council Thursday for their approval.
Judge Karin McGrath said all the funds are from the adult probation user fee fund, not taxpayers’ dollars. Judge Chad Miner said all the county judges believe probation does a lot of good work for the county.
“It’s certainly a challenging job and they do a good job for us. We certainly appreciate everything they do and think that a little extra amount is well deserved for them,” he said.
The council approved the salary ordinance amendment by a vote of 4-2, with Kathy Groninger and Joe Irwin opposed. Councilman John Barrett abstained.
Ciriello noted the stipend would not be distributed until December, as long as the probation officers stay employed with the county until Dec. 31.
At the November meeting, the council was presented with the 2026 Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education (KCODE) budget, but took no action on it because of council members concern that up to a total of $12,000 was being spent out of the budget for lunches for KCODE members during meetings.
After since learning the amount for meals was half that, the council Thursday approved the 2026 budget as presented at the November meeting, as requested by Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz.
In other business, the council:
• Approved the additional appropriations and ordinance for the annual Victim Of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant, a federal program, as requested by Voelz. The county applies for it annually and it is a major source of funding for the Victim’s Assistance program. It includes $35,084 for full-time wages; $2,684 for Social Security and Medicare; and $3,929 for retirement.
Voelz warned the council he has received communication from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute that they are predicting a 40% decrease in the VOCA grant for next year.
• Approved additional appropriations and ordinances regarding three grants from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, as requested by Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris McKeand.
One grant is for the Click It Or Tick It program for $12,000; one is for the Stop Arm Violation Enforcement for $8,000; and the third is for the DUI Task Force for $8,000.
• Re-elected Ciriello as president and Kathy Groninger as vice president for 2026.
• Approved an additional appropriation adjustment for an insurance payment of $2,610.05 regarding a KCSO squad car that was backed into by a citizen’s vehicle in a parking lot, as requested by McKeand. The money will go back into the KCSO funds to help with KCSO vehicles.
• Approved for the KCSO to apply for a $86,250 matching grant through the K21 Health Foundation to replace the jail’s body scanner, as requested by McKeand. The grant would pay for half of the body scanner, with the commissary fund paying for the other half. There is a yearly fee of $12,500 for upgrades and maintenance of the scanner, which is what the sheriff’s office is paying for maintenance now of its current scanner.
Sheriff Jim Smith said if they don’t get the grant, they’ll pay for the scanner entirely out of the commissary fund.
The county commissioners previously approved the request.
• Approved a salary ordinance amendment for 2026 for a housekeeping supervisor, as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. The amendment would be retroactive to Jan. 1 and would move the position to a higher ranking on the salary chart for an annual salary of $45,630. The amendment changes the classification and slightly increases the salary.
A transfer of $8,500 from maintenance part-time to maintenance full-time housekeeping also was approved, as requested by McSherry.
• Approved a salary ordinance amendment to change a supervisor position in the county clerk’s office down to a deputy, for an annual salary of $38,818, as requested by County Clerk Melissa Boggs. She said the office dynamic changed and they’re all in one spot now with less staff. With a chief deputy and two leads, Boggs said she doesn’t think a supervisory position also is necessary.
• Approved a salary ordinance amendment involving two part-time employees of the health department; a payroll change for the public health nurse who reached her 10-year anniversary with the county and now will earn $81,687 annually; as requested by County Health Administrator Bob Weaver; and the transfer of $3,621.
• Approved a salary ordinance amendment for a home detention officer due to a bookkeeping error by the auditor’s office, as requested by Becky Dye, auditor’s office chief deputy. The officer’s annual salary is $65,538.
• Approved a letter of support for the Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board as they apply for a Community Amenities Program grant through the K21 Health Foundation. The commissioners previously approved such a letter.
• Welcomed attorney John Barrett to the council, who was elected by a Republican caucus Tuesday night to replace DeLynn Geiger. Geiger resigned from the council effective Dec. 12. Barrett abstained from most of the voting Thursday as he’s an independent contractor with the county and public defender and is waiting for more information on that from the state.
• Tabled council committee appointments due to Geiger’s resignation and Barrett joining the council.
• Reappointed Lee Ann Rock to another four-year term to the Bell Public Library in Mentone. Having served since 2018, her new term expires Dec. 31, 2029.
