Hamilton County Reporter
Thursday afternoon marked the end of the Hamilton County Council 2019 budget hearings. According to my news-gathering partners at the Hamilton County Reporter, councilors are poised to approve spending of just under $100 million.
“I’d like to commend our Council for doing a great job,” Council President Steve Schwartz said. “There are seven different viewpoints on this Council and a lot of passion in the decision-making process, but overall I’m happy with the outcome. We spend very wisely.”
The proposed budget includes 20 new full-time positions, one each in the Coroner’s Office and Parks and Recreation Department, two in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and 16 new sheriff’s deputies to staff the new jail expansion. A new part-time employee has also been added to help with Veteran Services.
The proposed budget also includes raises for county employees as well as $1.3 million to support 11 not-for-profit agencies within Hamilton County.
Beaver
“Our expenditures will meet our revenues in the coming year,” said Vice President Brad Beaver. “We were presented with budget requests from every department in the county. This is the best budget we could afford without going in the red.”
Beaver will become Council President in January.
The Council is scheduled to formally adopt the proposed budget at a special meeting on at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 15 in Conference Room 1A. Once approved it will be sent to the State of Indiana for approval before going into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.