County Council updated on judicial employee pay fight
Michael Wright, attorney for the Vigo County Council, informed council members on Wednesday that they could either consent to a mandate from the six Vigo Superior Court judges concerning increased pay for judicial employees, or they could decline to do so.
If the Council votes not to consent to the judges' mandate, Wright told them a court case would follow, and it would be presided over by a judge selected by the Indiana Supreme Court.
And since Wright's sister works within the Vigo County court system, which he said creates a conflict of interest for him, he could not represent the council in the case. He said he has reached out to three Indianapolis law firms to provide representation in his stead.
The judges' mandate, issued in late October, establishes higher pay for court employees and instructs the County Council to implement that pay retroactive to Jan. 1. Judges say their employees are underpaid compared to those in other counties who handle lower volumes of work.
The consequence, the judges wrote, is that Vigo courts are being put in a competitive disadvantage in the market for qualified employees and at risk of losing employees.
The judges' salaries are not part of the dispute.
The mandate issued by the judges read, in part, "If there is litigation over the Court's salary adjustment, the County Council is responsible for all legal fees for both the County and the Court, including mediations costs. These costs will far exceed the difference in the salary adjustment."
The judges have hired their own lawyers, Krieg DeVault LLP, a large commercial law firm with offices in Indianapolis, Chicago and other cities.
A response from the council is expected in the next few days and to be voted upon at next Tuesday's meeting. No votes were taken in Wednesday's sunshine meeting.
The judges' mandate is public record in case 84D02-2410-CB-7301.
Other business
In other business, the council heard a number of requests for appropriations, several stemming from insurance and interest rate hikes for a number of county departments.
The Vigo County Parks Department requested $12,818 from its gasoline fund to its liability budget. Vigo County 911 asked that $4,498 be transferred from its new equipment budget to its liability fund. The Riley Fire Protection District board requested an appropriation of $11,604 to cover interest rate increases on its bank loans.
Vigo County Commissioners also requested $66,838 to be transferred from its general fund to pay off the rest of its liability insurance for 2024.
Commissioners also asked for $38,500 from American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide seven security cameras for the exterior of the Vigo County Courthouse, the only county building lacking security cameras. Commissioners rescinded an ARPA request for money for the Hasselburger Bridge project, because bids for the work came in under the project's budget.
Vigo County Homes for Children requested $1,500 to cover its end-of-year costs for institutional supplies, routine maintenance supplies and fuel.
The Vigo County Information Technology Department asked to transfer $30,000 from its new equipment fund to pay for unforeseen remote site equipment hookups and additional Internet services.
Election-related news
Councilman Travis Norris, who was elected Vigo County coroner on Tuesday, said Wednesday that he will have to step down from the Council and his replacement for the seat will be caucused in by the Republican Party in either December or January.
In other election news, the latest update for election results, released Wednesday at 11:36 a.m., showed a tight race in the Vigo County Council At-Large contest. Of six candidates seeking three seats, those in third and fourth place — vying for the third At-Large seat — were neck and neck.
Former Councilwoman Brenda Wilson, a Republican, received 15,223 votes (15.25%) in the latest results, with Democratic incumbent Marie Belzile-Theisz acquiring 15,168 (15.20%), giving Wilson a slender margin of 55 votes.
Theisz, were she to prevail in a recount, would be the only Democrat in Vigo County to win elected office, as the GOP appears to have won every contest.
On Wednesday evening, she said she had not made a firm decision on whether to request a recount.
Results are not official until certified by the county's election board.
