Howard County Government, IN - County Council - 10/27/2026

The Howard County, Indiana, County Council’s October 27, 2026 meeting approved Ordinance 2026-HCCO-45 for additional appropriations, reported in the transcript as totaling approximately $845,951. The largest requests included $135,000 for correctional-officer overtime, $60,000 for court transcription costs tied to increased appeals, and $300,000 to fund youth-manager positions at the Kinsey Youth Center. Other approved items included $30,000 for maintenance equipment repairs, $10,000 for clerk records maintenance and service contracts, $3,200 for probation-officer body armor, election staffing and supplies, and salaries charged to the restricted highway fund. The council also approved a $150,000 appropriation for payments under the county’s existing 10-year convention-center contract, which provides for $150,000 annually; no new contract award or vendor selection was made. Transfers and October salary-ordinance amendments were also approved.

The highway department reported difficulty procuring road salt after receiving no bids, with a private-market quote of $180 per ton compared with roughly $90–$95 in recent years. Existing stored supply was adequate for the moment, and the department is exploring a possible bulk purchase with Kokomo next year. The council discussed road-safety work, including a planned four-way stop informed by a traffic study, but no related procurement approval was recorded. Other than the approved appropriations and transfers, no new procurement award was identified.