Council approves regular and COVID-related funds transfers, additional approriations

TALI CROWE PHOTO

All members of the Ripley County Council were present at the November meeting at the courthouse annex in Versailles. Also seated is Amy Copeland and John Ertel, attorney for the county.

As the year 2020 wraps up, Ripley County Council met Monday. Most of their business involved approving fund transfers and additional appropriations. Most of the budget-related work is normal for the end of a year, but there were several transfers related to the county’s efforts to receive funding from the state due to COVID-19’s impact.
The 911 fund requested a funds transfer of $4,000 from their equipment fund to cover employee overtime. They need the additional money to make sure the staff that isn’t out due to COVID-related reasons can be paid appropriately.
EMA transferred $1,733.44 from their training fund into repair monies, citing “No in-person training this year due to COVID”. The money will be used for EOC upgrades and improvements. Several additional appropriations totaling $59,575 were approved, 7-0, to prepare the county’s funds to receive more funding for Ripley County’s free COVID-19 testing site in Osgood. The council also approved (7-0) several additional appropriations totaling over $15,000 for the commissioners that Ripley County Auditor Amy Copeland explained were necessary after receiving new direction from the Indiana State Board of Accounts on how to handle the monies. They then approved a reduction of appropriations of the same amount as part of the process of handling the monies based on the SBOA’s guidance.
The Ripley County Council will meet next on Monday, Dec. 21.