Tagged: Tippecanoe County

Tippecanoe County officials are considering the possibility of employee raises in the next budget.

Auditor Jennifer Weston provided the commissioners with cost estimates in increments of 1% with each percent representing $577,529. That includes wages, Social Security and the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF).

Weston says PERF is increasing more than usual.

“It’s been increasing anywhere from a quarter to a half percent lately, and it’s going up 1.2% (next year),” she says. “Yeah, that’s going to be a big hit for us.”

A newly formed organization will be running the Tippecanoe Emergency Ambulance Service.

Currently, Tippecanoe County Commissioners provide the ambulances and dispatch center, while Franciscan Saint Elizabeth Health staffs and operates the service. Beginning in July, the hospital group is partnering with IU Health Arnett to run the 24-hour emergency care effort.

The Tippecanoe County Council is buying a new car for the assessor’s office. The money comes from the reassessment fund and totals $16,000.

Assessor Linda Phillips says her current budget can cover the roughly $3,000 more that’s needed. She says buying a car instead of employees using their personal cars makes sense.

March is American Red Cross Month.

The Tippecanoe County chapter is launching the fifth annual Heroes Campaign.

Development Director Jennifer Edwards says local business people, school, church, and civic groups, and individuals pledge to raise $1,100 each for the effort.

She says that amount is what it costs to feed, clothe and shelter a family of four who has lost everything to a house fire.

Edwards says in addition to monetary assistance, there are other ways to be a “hero” in the community.

Tippecanoe County is losing federal funding for its anonymous crime reporting hotline. Grant Administrator Laurie Wilson says the grant for the WeTip program is not being offered this year.

She says the prosecutor's office will spend $50,000 from its budget to keep the hotline running. It's just one example of fewer grant opportunities available from federal and state governments.

Wilson expects to be working with less grant monehy over this year. However, she says Tippecanoe County is in a good position to claim whatever funds are available.