Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith told the Merit Board Thursday that he’s still fighting for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for his staff.
He noted the topic will come during the county’s budget hearings next week.
“It’s been a couple-year project that we’ve been working on this and had several conversations, several meetings with different council members,” said Smith. “Hopefully we get some sort of direction … I am hoping that when we go and meet with the council next week that maybe we can further these conversations and kind of see what that might look like.”
Smith acknowledged that the county’s budget may be tighter due to decreased tax revenue coming in after legislation was passed by the Indiana General Assembly.
“I wish that the timing was a little bit better, but one thing’s for certain, and I’ve said this from the beginning: We have to take care of our employees,” said Smith. “Retention and recruiting is imperative, and we all want this place to be somewhere our deputies come stay and retire rather than being training grounds for another agency.”
Smith also had Kosciusko County Council President Tony Ciriello, who was present, give his thoughts.
Ciriello said council members were going over information ahead of the hearings next week. He complimented Smith for budget cuts elsewhere like lowering the cost of feeding jail inmates so more money might possibly go for the COLA.
“How it comes out in the end, I don’t know,” said Ciriello. “(Council members) have had several discussions on the phone amongst ourselves about different things when it comes to the budget.”
In other business, the board:
• Heard from KCSO Public Information Officer and Administrative Sgt. Doug Light that the KCSO’s Camp HERO in July went well. It teaches kids about the roles of first responders. There were 210 kids at camp.
• Heard from Light that the KCSO had participated in numerous events over the summer, including parades and the Kosciusko County Community Fair.
• Heard from KCSO Jail Commander Lt. Kevin Gelbaugh that a new fingerprint machine arrived. He said the jail population had “steadily gone up,” with the number as of the meeting being 227. “Hopefully, courts will release some today to get us dropped back down,” he said.
• Heard from Gelbaugh that the jail had hired Steve Lutzke and Ashley Marchlewicz.
• Heard from Kosciusko County Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) Coordinator Casey Trombley that eight men were graduating from the program at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, in the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom. Everyone is welcome to come. The men did some community service at the therapeutic horseback riding facility Magical Meadows and mock interviews recently.
• Heard from KCSO Investigations Commander Lt. Josh Spangle that a man the office apprehended in 2024 named Gary Schmucker was convicted in federal court on Wednesday.
• Heard from KCSO Patrol Commander Lt. Mike Mulligan that Justin Smith was doing well in the traffic sergeant role created earlier in the year.
• Heard that KCSO Sgt. Rick Oliver is retiring from the KCSO after 29 years, with a retirement party for him on Thursday, Aug. 21. Mulligan said the KCSO would look for his replacement.
• Heard from Kosciusko Community Recovery Program Resource Navigator Shanna Wallen that 124 inmates had participated in the program since it started in 2024 to help them readjust to society after incarceration, with only nine reoffending.
• Heard a compliment from Ciriello regarding Smith’s and his staff’s leadership.
• Heard a compliment from Board President Dana Leon regarding Spangle and Det. Sgt. Neil Likens’ help in returning a missing child to their parent.
The board will not have a September meeting, with its next meeting tentatively set for Thursday, Oct. 9 in the sheriff’s office.
