Richmond, Wayne County schedule public hearings for 2023 budgets

Mike Emery, Richmond Palladium-Item
·7 min read

RICHMOND, Ind. — The city of Richmond and Wayne County government estimated 2023 budgets that total more than $111 million.

The city and county are both now among county entities that have posted budget information on the statewide Gateway website at budgetnotices.in.gov.

Richmond has estimated its 2023 budget at $58,099,798. Controller Emily Palmer told Richmond Common Council that the budget will be fully funded by using $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars that replace income lost because of COVID-19.

The city's largest single budget fund is the general fund at $23,232,329. Health insurance costs are budgeted at $9,363,119. The motor vehicle highway fund budget tops $4 million, with the emergency ambulance fund and parks and recreation fund both about $3 million.

Common Council also must approve the Richmond Sanitary District budget, which is listed separately. It is estimated at $37,091,872 for 2023.

Public hearings for both budgets will be 7 p.m. Sept. 19 and adoption of both budgets is planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 3. Those meetings will be in council chambers on the third floor of the Richmond Municipal Building 50 N. Fifth St.

Wayne County advertised a $53,291,133 budget, including $35 million in its general fund. Wayne County Council continues to finalize the budget, with another discussion expected during its Sept. 14 workshop. Council is paring departmental requests to match expected new monies.

Outside of the general fund, the largest county budges are the highway budget at $6,155,148 and the cumulative bridge fund at $5,305,692. Other individual funds that exceed $1 million are the emergency telephone system fund and the health department fund.

County Council also approves the Wayne Union Recycling Solid Waste Management District. That is estimated at $129,073, and funding comes from tipping fees at the landfill.

Public hearings for the county and WUR budgets are scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 21, with budget adoption for both planned at 6 p.m. Oct. 19. Both meetings will be in the council and commissioners chambers of the Wayne County Administration Building, 501 E. Main St. in Richmond.

All Wayne County cities, towns, townships, school districts and libraries are required to advertise their budgets and conduct public hearings prior to budget approval.

Townships that have so far advertised their budgets, public hearings and budget adoption dates on the statewide Gateway website are:

  • Jackson Township, public hearing for the advertised $310,792 budget was Aug. 31 and budget adoption is planned for noon Sept. 14 at 340 W. Main St., Cambridge City;

  • Washington Township, public hearing for the advertised $85,825 budget was Sept. 6 and budget adoption is planned for 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at 101 Central Ave., Milton;

  • Franklin Township, public hearing for the advertised $76,705 budget was Sept. 7 and budget adoption is planned for 10 a.m. Sept. 21 at 7925 Arba Pike;

  • Perry Township, public hearing for the advertised $121,414 budget was Sept. 8 and budget adoption is planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 13 at 138 Poplar St., Economy;

  • Clay Township, advertised $86,605 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 12 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 26, both at 114 E. Pearl St., Greens Fork;

  • Boston Township, advertised $181,263 budget with a public hearing 5 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 5 p.m. Sept. 27, both at 102 S. Salem St., Boston;

  • Harrison Township, advertised $47,600 budget with a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Sept. 27, both at 2761 N. Ind. 1, Cambridge City;

  • Jefferson Township, advertised $226,005 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11, both at 47 E. Main St., Hagerstown;

  • Dalton Township, advertised $25,570 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 27, both at 14063 U.S. 35, Economy;

  • Center Township, advertised $202,978 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28, both at 618 E. Main St., Centerville;

  • New Garden Township, advertised $71,026 budget with a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 19 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Oct. 10, both at 312 W. Main St., Fountain City; and

  • Webster Township, advertised $153,900 budget with a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 21 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Oct. 5, both at 5122 Main St., Webster.

Towns that have so far advertised their budgets, public hearings and budget adoption dates on the statewide Gateway website are:

  • Fountain City, public hearing for the advertised $388,710 budget was Sept. 6 and budget adoption is planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at 312 W. Main St.;

  • Greens Fork, public hearing for the advertised $149,400 budget was Sept. 8 and budget adoption is planned for 6:45 p.m. Sept. 22 at 12 S. Water St.;

  • Cambridge City, advertised $1,584,990 budget with a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 12 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Oct. 10, both at 127 N. Foote St.;

  • East Germantown, advertised $183,305 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10, both at 206 S. Milton St.;

  • Milton, advertised $302,790 budget with a public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Oct. 11, both at 101 N. Central Ave.;

  • Centerville, advertised $1,626,231 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 27, both at 204 E. Main St.;

  • Dublin, advertised $417,938 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 11, both at 498 N. Johnson St.;

  • Spring Grove, advertised $216,639 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned 7 p.m. Oct. 11, both at Quaker Hill Meeting;

  • Economy, advertised $184,841 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12, both at 138 Poplar St.; and

  • Hagerstown, advertised $1,588,769 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17, both at 49 E. College St.

School districts that have so far advertised their budgets, public hearings and budget adoption dates on the statewide Gateway website are:

  • Western Wayne schools, advertised $10,611,047 budget with public hearing 6 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 6 p.m. Oct. 12, both at 519 Queen St., Pershing;

  • Nettle Creek schools, advertised $12,587,572 budget with a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19, both at 299 N. Sycamore St., Hagerstown;

  • Centerville-Abington schools, advertised $24,520,446 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 28, both at 115 W. South St., Centerville; and

  • Northeastern Wayne schools, advertised $16,009,258 budget with a public hearing 7 p.m. Sept. 21 and budget adoption planned for 7 p.m. Oct. 26, both at 7299 U.S. 27 N., Fountain City.

Public library systems that have so far advertised their budgets, public hearings and budget adoption dates on the statewide Gateway website are:

  • Hagerstown Public Library, public hearing for the advertised $390,000 budget was Aug. 17 and budget adoption is planned for 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at 10 W. College St.;

  • Dublin Public Library, public hearing for the advertised $30,531 budget was Sept. 8 and budget adoption is planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at 2249 E. Cumberland St.;

  • Centerville-Center Township Public Library, advertised $574,958 budget with a public hearing 4:30 p.m. Sept. 13 and budget adoption planned for 4:30 p.m. Oct. 11, both at 126 E. Main St., Centerville;

  • Morrisson-Reeves Library, advertised $2,793,177 budget with public hearing 4:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 4:30 p.m. Oct. 12, both at 80 N. Sixth St., Richmond; and

  • Wayne County Contractual Library, advertised $177,444 budget with public hearing 4:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and budget adoption planned for 4:30 p.m. Oct. 12, both at 80 N. Sixth St., Richmond.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Richmond, Wayne County schedule public hearings for 2023 budgets