Council Meeting 10/08/2026

At its October 8, 2026 meeting, the Kosciusko County Council adopted the 2027 budgets for the county, the Solid Waste Management District (approximately $509,000, as stated in the transcript), and Syracuse Public Library ($1,995,104). The county’s adopted budget total was reported as $96,669,862. Members discussed reductions made during budget preparation and approved a 3% county employee wage increase. The council rejected the Sheriff’s Office request for a night-shift differential; the matter may return as a January appropriation request. No vendor selections or contract awards were identified.

The council approved several funding and appropriation actions, including $7,000 for the DARE program and $5,000 for JCAP through KCODE; a $12,000 KCODE grant request for re-entry court; a $30,000 hazardous-materials roadway commodity-flow-study grant request and a $58,526 emergency-management grant request; and a $100,000 additional appropriation for KCCRVC. It also approved a $4,700 Health Department appropriation, a $10,000 court appropriation for jury expenses, and other requests involving insurance reimbursements for county vehicles and guardrails. The Treasurer’s cash-change fund was increased from $500 to $1,000. The council approved moving future innkeepers-tax collection to the Indiana Department of Revenue, effective January 1, to strengthen collection and enforcement. A regional land-bank proposal was presented, with initial operations described as funded by a three-year philanthropic grant; no council action was taken on it at this meeting.