Starke County Council, Commissioners to Meet Tonight

The Starke County Council members will meet tonight where they will review cuts needed for the 2019 budget. At their last meeting, the council members urged the department heads to cut at least six percent out of their budgets or the council members will need to do the reductions. The state cut more than $830,000 from next year’s budget and it needs to be finalized prior to Dec. 31 of this year.

In other business, the council members will consider transfer requests from the sheriff, coroner, circuit court, clerk, recorder, extension office, and surveyor. The highway department will present an additional appropriation request. The council is expected to take action on a $28,000 additional appropriation to the sheriff’s budget for security at the Annex Building No. 1.

A 2019 salary ordinance will be discussed, and Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert will present his monthly report.

The Starke County Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. CT tonight followed by the meeting of the Starke County Commissioners.

The commissioners will consider the OSS Ordinance and a security ordinance for the Annex Building. Julie Miller from the Purdue Extension office will present the department’s contract for renewal in 2019. The commissioners will also consider the renewal for inmate medical services, the final approval of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation contract, and a Memorandum of Understanding for the lease of the new building for the Solid Waste District on the grounds of the Starke County Highway Department.

Both meetings will take place in the first floor meeting room in the Starke County Annex Building No. 1 in Knox at 53 E. Mound Street.