“We have a ton of money being moved around here,” Commissioner Mike Yoder said at the top of the board’s meeting.
Among the appropriations, commissioners approved essentially loaning the sheriff’s office $250,000 from the county’s Major Moves fund to update computers throughout the agency, including in offices, squad cars and the jail.
The approval came with a recommendation to charge an interest rate of up to 2% on repaying the loan back to the Major Moves fund. Sheriff Jeff Siegel said payments would come out of the jail’s inmate commissary account over a four-year contract.
As the sheriff’s office switches from an agreement with Lenovo to Dell, Siegel estimated about $200,000 of the appropriation would go toward the computers, while the remaining $50,000 would cover costs for any programming and technical issues that arise.
County Attorney Craig Busche noted Major Moves funds have to be used for economic development projects, and this plan would qualify as one.
The plan with the interest rate recommendation is expected to go before the Elkhart County Council for approval during the board’s meeting on Saturday.
The commissioners also approved $200,000 to help cover prescription costs for inmates in custody at the Jail.
Another $400,000 was approved to update security systems at the Elkhart County Courthouse in Goshen and other buildings, as well as for repairs and maintenance at the courthouse building.
©2019 the Goshen News (Goshen, Ind.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
