Whitley Fiscal Court finalizes ordinance equalizing salary adjustments for elected officials

Jan. 26—WILLIAMSBURG — Whitley County Fiscal Court met for a brief and routine session last week.

Among the items approved was the second and final reading of an "inflationary" ordinance that will increase the salaries of certain elected officials.

Judge-Executive Pat White explained at the December regular meeting that county judges, clerks, sheriffs and jailers are already afforded the benefit through state law and this ordinance, modeled after one from Grant County, would put county attorneys, coroners and magistrates on the same adjustment schedule.

"(The inflation adjustments) will apply to all of the offices instead of just the ones that the state has traditionally set those limits for," Judge White said at the Jan. 17 meeting.

Other business included approvals for:

—the first reading of a budget amendment that adds, among other items, grant reimbursements as well as the $729,649 the county has received as its first installment of opioid settlement money.

—a resolution in support of a grant application for FY 2024 Appropriations Community Project Funding seeking federal funds toward a drug treatment center. Judge White said the county is working with Congressman Hal Rogers' office on the project.

—the update to the Whitley County Sheriff's Office Policy and Procedures manual as submitted by Sheriff Bill Elliotte.

—an amended 2022 salary cap for the Whitley County Sheriff's Office. County Projects Director Amber Owens explained this would help close out former Sheriff Danny Moses' administration to reflect pay out for compensatory and vacation time to outgoing officers.

—Moses' tax settlement for the sheriff's office, also to close out his administration.

The next regular meeting of the Whitley County Fiscal Court is set for February 21.