State funds county health initiatives

The Wayne County Health Department received $661,913 from Indiana’s Growing Rural Opportunities for Well-being initiative.

Director Dan Burk presented the five-year contract during the joint Wayne County Council and commissioners workshop Aug. 19. The initial funding lasts through July 2027, and the county will need to apply for additional funding. Burk said the funding should be available if the department meets its goals.

The applications, submitted on a regional basis, focus on regional priorities. The money is Wayne County’s share to add two community health specialists and address maternal and child health through mobile services.

The funding includes $268,000 for a new mobile unit and $104,000 for the community health specialists.

Commissioners and council unanimously approved the county moving forward with the program.

Coroner’s budget

Coroner Brent Meadows presented council with his 2027 budget request. Council ran out of time before hearing from Meadows during its Aug. 5 meeting.

Meadows requested $163,000 in his autopsy line, an increase from the $95,000 provided for 2026. He said final costs this year will approach $163,000. The county pays the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office in Dayton, Ohio, $1,500 per autopsy.

Meadows also requested a new truck to replace the 2012 van in the coroner’s fleet. He received a $110,000 quote for the truck and necessary equipment. Meadows also requested two power cots. New cots would cost $66,484, or refurbished cots would cost $50,484.

Meadows asked council to boost stipends for coroner’s investigators to $15,000, and again told council the part-time coroner’s job requires full-time hours to perform.

Auditor request denied

Auditor Mark Hoelscher requested approval of a contract with Manpower to supply a temporary employee that would serve as a chief deputy until his term ends. Hoelscher wants to complete projects for a smooth transition to Amy Chenowith, who is running unopposed in the general election to become the new auditor.

Hoelscher said his tenure has included turmoil with council and commissioners, and he accepted some responsibility for that.

Councilors expressed concerns about the legality of a noncounty employee serving as chief deputy and whether the person would perform administrative tasks rather than fulfill a chief deputy’s role. Commissioner Aaron Roberts questioned the higher pay the position would receive under Hoelscher’s plan than other administrative roles in the auditor’s office.

Commissioner Brad Dwenger opposed having someone else perform work Hoelscher could handle.

“I hear no benefit to the county, and all we’re doing is wasting taxpayers’ money to hire somebody else when Mark is not in the office,” Dwenger said. “We pay his salary and now we want to pay a part-time person to come in for administrative (work). I have no desire to do that.”

Hoelscher addressed Dwenger, who defeated him in the primary election for Dwenger’s commissioner seat: “I am county auditor. I am on the job. I am in this office every day.”

Dwenger responded: “For an hour.”

“I don’t care for how long,” Hoelscher said. “I am in the office to do what work I have to get done.”

Dwenger answered: “But then you’re asking us to spend taxpayers’ money for more work that needs to be done in there that you could do.”

Commissioners declined to approve the contract, and Hoelscher said he would not pursue the matter further.

Other actions

• Commissioners approved a 5% increase in employee premiums for both county health insurance plans. Commissioners noted there had been no premium increase in three years and that they’ve implemented one-month premium holidays in two of those years because the plan’s finances were strong.
• Commissioners also approved a two-year extension to the dental insurance program with Delta Dental. The extension will increase employee contributions by $2.60 per pay period for the two years.
• Commissioners appointed Stacey Bertsch to the Cambridge City Public Library board.
• Council approved $55,811.88 from its contingency fund to fix the courthouse elevator and another $9,420.29 from contingency for repairs performed on the Emergency Management Agency’s HVAC system that was impacted by a lightning strike.