By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — After a six-month test run with Reedy Financial Group for financial services, the county has decided to go another year with the company.

County Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger and Council President Mike Long on Tuesday, Dec. 19, requested the county commissioners sign the contract with Reedy Financial Group.

At their Dec. 5 meeting, the commissioners approved the contract for $60,000 for 2024, payable in monthly installments. The county tried Reedy Financial Group for six months in 2023 and the 2024 contract is for 12 months, though the county can end it with 30 days notice. The county council discussed it at their meeting Thursday with some council members expressing some concern about the work Reedy has done or not done to date.

In support of the commissioners signing the contract, Kathleen told them, “This is in your budget and we did approve it unanimously when we did the budget process, so it’s covered in the budget. Secondly, I would also like to say that it’s my understanding that the commissioners, you guys, are going to be restructuring the Strategic Planning Committee … and I think this is just an integral part of the piece of that puzzle to help the council with strategic planning and budget for future projects.”

She said she feels that Reedy Financial Group will help the county maximize all of its budget potential and grant opportunities, which will help the county stretch its local tax dollars and help with its budget in general.

“We’re hoping to begin meeting with them (Reedy) on a regular basis starting in January,” she said.

Long said, “In any good business, you have a set of trusted advisers on counsel. The county is no different than any good business. You have a good attorney on staff. You have accountants, you have department heads and now we’re looking at having a financial help here. County government has become very complicated since all the ‘funny money’ has come to the county from different levels, and I feel that there’s some things in the past that we have missed an opportunity on that they can really help us with.”

He said the county needs to have “clear direction of travel” for how it’s going to utilize Reedy Financial Group. Long requested the commissioners give them at least six months, which in turn will be a year that the county has been with Reedy to see what they can do for the county. The county has always struggled with long-term goals and how it’s going to fund those goals, Long said, and if Reedy brings one grant to the table that covers their fees, “in essence it costs the county zero. So I would support them.”

Commissioner Brad Jackson was concerned about a system being in place to monitor how Reedy Financial was doing.
Commissioner Bob Conley commented that the county has employees and elected officials to do county business. He said he thinks there are people on staff who had all the capability and experience to do what Reedy Financial is going to be asked to do. Conley wanted Long’s word they would keep on top of this.

Long agreed the county has an excellent staff and has done an excellent job, “but with the complexity of things in today’s world, another set of eyes, it doesn’t hurt at times.” If Reedy doesn’t bring value to the county, then Long said they will reassess.
The commissioners approved signing the contract for 12 months with the ability by the county or Reedy to terminate it at any time with 30 days notice.

Later in the meeting, county attorney Ed Ormsby presented a resolution establishing the SPC. The committee is only advisory and doesn’t have the authority to implement any recommendation the committee develops, makes or approves. No person serving on the committee will receive a salary or compensation. The five members of the SPC are the county sheriff, the county highway superintendent, county administrator, a commissioner and a county council member. All meetings of the committee are subject to Indiana’s Open Door Law, Ormsby stated.

Matters the SPC may advise on include the county’s infrastructure needs, possible infrastructure investments and improvements, investment opportunities to improve the quality of life in the county and better utilize county assets, create sustainable property management maintenance plans for county buildings and properties, work with consultants to assess the possibilities and feasibility of applicable projects in the county, work with financial consultants on funding mechanisms to propose projects that maximize use of county tax dollars, present recommendations to the board regarding the above or future projects, present recommendations to the county council for funding of the above matters that are approved by the commissioners and request, receive and review information on the programs from above.

Commissioner Brad Jackson said the committee is one the county has had for a number of years but the resolution formalizes it and what’s been done.

Cary Groninger said, “I see just the opportunities we have in our county right now. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Kosciusko County government and there’s just a lot of opportunities presenting themselves with different grant opportunities.”

The state is also doing a number of things to invest in local communities, “so just having a plan so we can be prepared and ready for that, I think that’s really going to be able to help us maximize grant and other funding opportunities that present themselves,” he said, then made a motion to approve the resolution. The motion passed 3-0.

Ormsby then presented a second resolution amending and restating the employment of relatives/nepotism in the Kosciusko County personnel policies handbook.

“This resolution is being presented to amend the county’s anti-nepotism policy so that it mirrors what the state requirements are, rather than having further restrictions. Those further restrictions that were previously in the anti-nepotism policy of the county restricted the sheriff’s department and other departments from having in each and every circumstance any relative that is in the same department, even if that relative was not in the direct line of supervision of another relative. This resolution will just bring us into compliance with what is required by the state, but will not forbid relatives from working in an department if they are not in the direct line of supervision,” Ormsby explained.

The resolution was approved.

The final resolution Ormsby presented was approving the sheriff’s 2024 salary contract. Sheriff Jim Smith’s 2024 salary will increase by $5,000 to $120,515. The county council approved it at their meeting Thursday.

Cary Groninger pointed out that the $5,000 increase for the sheriff was the same amount all officers got for their increase for 2024.

The resolution passed 3-0.