The Judicial Center project, now six years from completion, was a main topic. During that discussion, the Council requested that the Commissioners explore building a local juvenile detention center. Council members mentioned that the county currently pays $400 or more per night to transport juveniles to facilities as far away as Lake County. The juvenile detention request came up with little prior discussion and was not an official agenda item.
The county has not reached an income tax distribution agreement with local municipalities. The Council cited incomplete data from the state as the cause and plans to send a formal letter to state officials, asking local municipalities to sign on. The letter was not voted on at the MUST meeting.
The Council voted 7-0 to approve retroactive pay increases for four probation officers, backdated to March. The increases are contingent on a signed authorization letter from the judges, which had not been signed at the time of the vote.
A $209,260 Bonus Pay line item was approved 7-0 and applies to county employees broadly. Councilor Nancy Marsh asked whether the bonuses were performance based. The answer given was “not entirely.”
The next Hendricks County Council meeting is October 20.
