Kosciusko County Council on Thursday adopted the county’s 2026 budget and the Kosciusko Solid Waste budget and approved a series of grant applications, appropriations and interlocal agreements.

The council adopted the county’s 2026 budget by motion (Ordinance/Resolution No. 2025-10-9-001 as read at the meeting) with a total adopted budget presented in the meeting packet of $89,532,920 and a total adopted tax levy of $22,000,800; the resolution as presented listed an adopted tax rate of 0.2694 but staff said the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) will review the filing and that the estimated post-review tax rate would be about 0.1942.

The council also adopted the Kosciusko Solid Waste budget (Ordinance/Resolution No. 2025-10-9-002), with a total solid-waste budget of $517,382, a levy of $297,734 and a tax rate shown in the packet as 0.0035. Council members said the solid-waste budget had been discussed at a prior meeting and was ready for adoption.

Beyond the budgets, the council approved numerous grant applications and appropriation adjustments presented by staff:

- Highway/transportation: The council approved a request to apply for a 2026 Community Crossings matching grant for approximately $2.057 million in project funds (staff presented the combined amount as "$2,000,000, $57,063.15"), with the county’s matching share estimated at about $1,028,531.58 (50% match). The council also approved a financial-commitment letter to pledge Motor Vehicle Highway funds for the county match (staff recorded $2,057,062.15 on the commitment). Council members said the main projects are completion of Packard Road and continued work on Armstrong Road.

- Railroad at‑grade crossing grant: The council approved an additional appropriation of $28,000 for an at‑grade railroad crossing grant that staff described as 100% reimbursable.

- Small appropriation adjustments and transfers: The council approved several insurance reimbursement appropriations and transfers, including multiple sheriff’s vehicle insurance reimbursements totaling $7,768.52, a $600 insurance reimbursement for a tree removal, a transfer of $6,000 from the inmates and institutions account to property liability insurance to cover new sheriff vehicles, and a $9,500 transfer from highway overtime to part-time for winter part-time snow-towing labor.

- Grants and public safety: The council authorized staff to apply for multiple Indiana Department of Homeland Security and related grants, including an IDHS grant (up to $150,000) to buy portable and in‑car radios and equipment (to outfit about 20 portables and 2–4 in‑car units), participation in the 2026 KCODE funding program ($5,000 for JACAP, $9,100 for DARE and $7,000 for impaired driving enforcement), the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG, up to $55,000) and Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness grants (training and a tabletop exercise, and a commodity-flow study for hazardous materials on roadways). The council also approved applying to the Kosciusko County Community Foundation for a spill-mitigation trailer and equipment.

- Information technology: The council approved and staff said it already applied for a State Homeland Security grant to build fiber infrastructure between the county campus and the work-release facility (staff said the request was for up to $150,000; staff noted the project would link the county’s network and improve off-site backup and continuity).

- Prosecutor’s office and victim services: The council approved a transfer and a salary-ordinance amendment to fund a part-time deputy prosecutor position for the remainder of the year and accepted a semiannual VOCA grant appropriation totaling $14, + a VOCA wages and benefits package (meeting detail: $12,673 for wages, $970 for Social Security/Medicare, $1,419 for retirement), noting VOCA funds come from offender fines and not county taxpayer dollars.

- Appointments and interlocal agreements: The council reappointed Sherry Mullick to the Nappanee Library Board for a four-year term, approved interlocal agreements to continue serving as secretary/controller for the Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitors Commission (for $500) and for the Solid Waste District (for $10,000), and approved an additional $10,000 appropriation to cover council legal fees through year-end.

Most motions passed without recorded roll-call tallies; where the clerk announced the results at the meeting, the clerk reported unanimous consent or the result as noted. Several items were described as 100% reimbursable or funded from restricted accounts (for example, the railroad crossing grant and VOCA funds). For projects that require matching funds, staff identified the specific restricted accounts (for example, motor vehicle highway funds) as the intended county contribution.

Council members asked staff to file the adopted budgets with the Department of Local Government Finance within five days so the agency can finalize tax-rates, and staff confirmed some numbers may be adjusted by DLGF after submission.