The council meeting began with the approval of the prior meeting minutes.
Abby Harry from Community Corrections received approval to continue with their application for three grants that were recently submitted to cover salaries.
Sheriff Meyerrose provided the council with a copy of his Commissary Report for January through March of this year. He stated that the balance at the end of March was approximately $129,000.
Brian Wenning, a Decatur County Emergency Communications Board member, presented the interlocal agreement that has already been approved by the Mayor, City Council, and Decatur County Commissioners. Brian stated that the council’s approval would be the final step. The agreement outlines how funding for the Dispatch Center is split between the City of Greensburg and Decatur County. It also details how the Executive Committee and Advisory Boards will include both city and county representatives. The council approved the agreement as presented.
Jeremy Pasel, Decatur County Commissioner, provided an update on the fairgrounds projects. He stated that completed projects include tiling the track and horse arena, refurbishing the Farm & Home Building bathrooms, remodeling the grandstand bathrooms, and improvements to the Community Building. Phase 2 is now beginning and includes electrical updates, a walking path through the midway area during the fair, and additional updates to the horse barn.
Jeremy also provided additional funding updates:
| Decatur County has paid out the following towards the projects at the Fairgrounds: | $2,240,859.27 |
| READI funds originally provided for the project: | $1,950,000.00 |
| Current available funds from READI: | $519,636.62 |
| Funding available at the Community Foundation for the project: | $617,630.62 |
| Total amount of funding available to finish the project available: | $1,137,267.51 |
He explained that when he came before the council in April 2025, he received approval for up to $800,000 for the project, with the understanding that the funds would be reimbursed to the county’s EDIT funds. He noted that at the end of 2025, the EDIT fund balance was $1,992,520.72 and has since received an additional $340,000. Jeremy stated that there are currently $250,000 in pledges for the project. Once those funds are received, the project will be able to repay $500,000 to the EDIT funds, though not the full $800,000 at this time.
Jeremy discussed the progress of the project and expressed confidence that additional funds will continue to come in, helping the fair committee and fairgrounds become self-sufficient. He spoke positively about repaying the EDIT funds and the overall success of investing in the fairgrounds.
WTRE followed up with Commissioner Pasel to ask about his motivation for focusing on the fairground’s projects. Jeremy responded, “As a steward of county funds and property, overseeing the management and upkeep of all county-owned assets is a key responsibility of my role. The fairgrounds are an important part of 4-H and our youth. I spent much of my childhood involved in 4-H and at the fairgrounds in the county that I grew up in, and I want to ensure those same opportunities remain available for future generations. Through these projects, we will continue to enhance the usability of the fairgrounds beyond 4-H. We are creating continuous revenue stream opportunities from the investments we are making in the fairgrounds.”
The council had previously approved an abatement for NIPRO in 2023; however, a resolution for that abatement could not be found. The council approved Resolution 2026-10 to formalize the abatement. The approval was unanimous, with the exception of Deanna Burkart, who abstained due to her brother-in-law holding a leadership position at NIPRO.
Tim Ortman, Decatur County Highway Department Assistant Superintendent, received approval to increase the number of employees in his department to 29. Tim provided several reasons for the request and shared information about projects that have decreased as staffing levels declined. He explained that funding exists for these positions, but the Salary Ordinance does not currently reflect them.
Doug Westerfeld, Area Plan Commission Director, received approval to purchase a copier and laptop for his office. The copier is nine years old and will no longer be serviced, and the laptop, purchased in March 2017, will no longer receive updates.
Doug also announced that the Comprehensive Plan will host a “Big Idea Open House” on April 30 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The open houses will be held in the EMA Training Room at the Decatur County Annex.
Janet Howell, Clerk, presented a request to increase the hourly rate of a staff member in her office. She explained that the office’s bookkeeper left at the end of 2025. A replacement was initially hired but later decided the position was not a good fit. Janet then hired an individual with 40 years of experience who is willing to help catch up on work and conduct internal audits of past accounts. This individual was hired at $21.70 per hour, and Janet requested an increase to $22.78, matching the previous bookkeeper’s pay. The council unanimously approved her request.
Nate Harter, Prosecuting Attorney, requested approval to transfer funds that had been set aside for an unfilled Deputy Prosecutor position to a newly created part-time Director of Victim Services position. Nate explained that while his office meets constitutional requirements to assist victims, he wants to exceed those standards by providing additional support, communication, and referrals to outside agencies. He added, “This type of position has been a long-term goal of my office.” The funds are already within his budget, and the council unanimously approved the request.
The council also approved all transfers and additional appropriations.
