Eric Blodgett of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department came before the council to request an increase in the salary for the Sex & Violent Offender Registry (SVOR) Coordinator. Blodgett stated that when the position was first implemented, the salary was set to be comparable to that of a jail officer. However, since that time, the job has continued to grow and become a much more in-depth position. He believes the position’s salary should be comparable to those of CIT Special Deputies and Probation Officers.
Blodgett stated that the coordinator has become a Special Deputy who is able to conduct home visits and investigations. In 2025, the coordinator conducted 20 investigations and filed nine charges, all of which resulted in convictions. The investigations range from offenders failing to register to violating the guidelines established for them when they entered the registry. In 2026, the coordinator has conducted 17 investigations, resulting in seven charges being filed. Two of those charges have resulted in convictions, while the remaining charges are pending.
The coordinator attended 260 hours of specialized training in 2025 and approximately 200 hours in 2026. Blodgett asked the council to approve a salary increase from $44,000 to $57,000, which would be comparable to the salaries of the other positions mentioned for employees with a similar three years of service. The council unanimously approved Blodgett’s request.
Patty Hensley, Decatur County Human Resources Representative, requested approval of the PERF Enlargement Resolution. Hensley stated that in August, she discovered an error involving PERF eligibility for all elected officials, including council members and commissioners. She stated that the resolution was reviewed in June 2014 and approved during the October meeting. However, they have been unable to locate the resolution. Somehow, the Coroner position was left off the resolution. Hensley requested approval of Resolution 2026-16 to retroactively provide PERF benefits to the Coroner position. The council approved the resolution.
NIPRO requested that its 2026-10 abatement be delayed until the 2027 pay-2028 period. The council approved the request.
Mike Snyder of the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) received approval to apply for the Emergency Management Performance Grant. This annual grant provides reimbursement for salaries in the Emergency Management Agency office. The total amount available is $35,000. The council approved Snyder moving forward with the application.
The council signed the Project We Care Proclamation. Project We Care is a community initiative in Decatur County, Indiana, that collects care packages and supplies for active-duty service members. The proclamation followed a presentation by Cleo Duncan, who spoke to the council about the project a few meetings ago.
The council approved transfers, with the Highway Department’s request being tabled until the next meeting, when members can ask additional questions and seek clarification. The council also agreed to table the additional funds requested by the Highway Department until more information could be obtained.
Judge Tim Day informed the council that he would be approximately six weeks short on funding in his line item for paying public defenders’ salaries. This would leave him with a deficit of $26,525. He stated that the shortfall was the result of a typo made while preparing the 2026 budget. He requested permission to transfer that amount from another fund within his department that helps cover costs associated with court hearings. The council approved his request.
The council reviewed board appointments for 2027 and decided to wait until January 2027 to make those decisions. However, members did approve Scott Mangles for appointment to the Decatur County Health Department Board.
The council reviewed and approved the county’s 2027 budget. The County General Fund budget totals $13,332,493.00.
