By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — The YMCA won’t get $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from the county for a security system for the Downtown YMCA after a tie vote by the Kosciusko County Council Thursday, Oct. 12.

During the Sept. 13 ARPA Committee meeting — comprised of Commissioner Cary Groninger, County Council President Mike Long and Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell — the committee approved recommending $400,000 to the public safety communications tower in Sidney; $121,503 to Joe’s Kids for lights and security; $350,000 to Wagon Wheel for their renovation sustainability project; and $100,000 to the YMCA for a security system as it is repurposing of the former Madison Elementary School gymnasium. Cary Groninger abstained from the vote for the YMCA as the downtown Warsaw facility will sit within his company’s housing development Gateway Grove.

The commissioners and council approved the $400,000 for the tower.

At the commissioners’ Sept. 26 meeting, the commissioners approved reducing Wagon Wheel’s ARPA request to $250,000, but approved the full amount for Joe’s Kids and the YMCA, with Cary Groninger again abstaining from the vote on the YMCA.
Thursday, County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the three ARPA requests to the county council — $250,000 for Wagon Wheel; $121,503 to Joe’s Kids; and $100,000 for the YMCA.

The Wagon Wheel and Joe’s Kids requests were unanimously approved.

When Long asked for a motion on the YMCA request, there was a pause but then Mitchell made a motion to approve the $100,000 for the security system. Councilmen Dave Wolkins and Tony Ciriello offered to second the motion. Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger abstained from the vote.

With only six of the seven council members voting, it ended in a tie of 3-3 so the motion died. No other motions were offered.
Long said it was YMCA’s loss.

The additional appropriations for the Wagon Wheel and Joe’s Kids were unanimously approved by the council.

The YMCA, city of Warsaw, K21 Health Foundation and Groninger had a groundbreaking ceremony for the Downtown YMCA at 575 W. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw, on Oct. 2.

In other business Thursday, the council:

• Approved the transfer of $200,000, as requested by the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission, from the cash and investment account to use for grants this year. Mark Skibowski, KCCRVC Commission, said they had a series of grants that exceeded what they had budgeted this year by about $50,000. The other $150,000 is for the Commission’s November meeting, but Skibowski said if they don’t spend it, they don’t spend it.
• Approved a $50,000 transfer for Systems Administration from the computer equipment fund to the repairs and software fund, as requested by Bob Momeyer.
• Approved for County Clerk Ann Torpy to apply for a $50,000 grant from the Indiana secretary of state for voter outreach and education. She would like to try to get younger voters out to elections. The commissioners approved the request Tuesday. The minimum that will be awarded if all 92 Indiana counties apply for the grants is $21,000, she said.
• Approved for Emergency Management Agency Director Kip Shuter to apply for a $55,000 Emergency Management Performance grant. The grant will help pay for the EMA director, deputy director and administrative assistant positions for 2023. The amount is based on the county’s population, there is no match and was approved by the commissioners.
• Approved Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz’s request for a 2023 salary ordinance amendment for the prosecuting attorney’s investigator. He said the annual salary is for $54,288, but the amendment is just for an additional approximate $2,500.

The council also approved his request for an additional appropriation from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant. The quarterly request includes $14,094 for VOCA caseworker; $1,079 for Social Security/Medicare; $1,578.53 for retirement contributions; and $2,334 for group health insurance.

• Approved County Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver’s request for a salary ordinance amendment to pay a registrar/bookkeeper $38,571 annually. The person is filling a position that’s been vacant for some months. A transfer of $7,822 from food specialist to bookkeeper also was approved and will pay the bookkeeper position for the remainder of 2023.
• Approved, for Sheriff Jim Smith, a salary ordinance amendment for a part-time sex/violent offender registrar at $22.75 per hour; for a civil process server at $47,320 annually; and two school resource officers at $54,975 each annually. Four transfers to help pay for those salary changes also were approved – $3,831 for the civil process server; $3,200 and $7,400 for one SRO; and $10,600 for the second SRO.
• Approved a salary ordinance amendment for the community coordinator at $51,675 annually, as requested by McSherry, to finish out 2023.

McSherry also presented, and they were approved by the council, salary ordinance amendments for housekeeping at $33,345 annually or $17.10 per hour; housekeeping at $31,824 annually or $16.32 per hour; and part-time housekeeping at $17.10 per hour.

• Approved the September encumbering report from Auditor Rhonda Helser for $21,228.29.

• Heard a progress report from Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation CEO Alan Tio.