This week, we asked the county council to submit an article from their perspective.
It is a goal of ours to share as much information and from many points of view, so were happy when they submitted the information below to share.
The Montgomery County website lists the county council duties as “prepares and approves a budget and manages all funds within that budget. The council sets tax rates and determines the number of and salaries for county employees. Sale of property over a specific amount must also be approved by the council. The council exercises binding review of the budgets of most of the 31 units of local government.” In the spring of 2018, Judge Thomas Milligan, in an opening statement to the voter’s forum at Crawfordsville High School described these duties as “give and take”; the ideas and wants of the commissioners balanced with the fiscal approval of the council.
Over the last three years the council has moved forward on several fronts:
• For three years in a row the council received an approval from the Department of Local Government and Finance for the county general budget without requiring any changes.
• We approved the funding for a county engineer which reduces engineering costs from outside firms. The county engineer works with the highway department on improving roads and use tax dollars more efficiently.
• We have hired a financial consultant who is making a five-year fiscal plan, which will help us plan for long term road and bridge repair.
• We have also hired a county administrator to help us look more in depth at how budgets can serve the county’s long-term plans.
• The county council setup an ERPS committee (Employee Roster and Payroll Schedule) to review payroll issues and put together a countywide comprehensive plan to ensure equal pay for equals work. The also put together a multi-year recommendation for employee compensation.
These are just a few issues and concerns the county council has addressed over the last few years. We welcome any questions or comments. Our meetings are at 9 a.m. the second Tuesday of the month.
Terry Hockersmith is county council president can be reached at Terry.Hockersmith@montgomerycounty.in.gov.
