PENDLETON — The Pendleton Town Council introduced the town’s 2025 budget, among other things, at its regular September meeting.
Following a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 17, the council voted unanimously to pass the first read of a budget of $11,982,372.
More than half of the budget comes from the Special Fire Protection Territory General fund of $6,013,956. That amount is up nearly $2 million from last year’s total of $4,247,827.
Following that are the General fund ($2,987,053), Park fund ($1,221,850), Local Income Tax fund ($1,135,820), Motor Vehicle Highway fund ($607,206), and Special Fire Protection Territory Equipment Replace fund ($317,329).
A few other funds fall below $250,000 for the year including the Cumulative Capital Development fund, a pair of Park bonds, and the Local Road and Street fund.
The property tax levy introduced to go along with the 2024 budget totals $8,949,424.
The town gets other revenues from its water and electric utitlies, as well as federal, state and local grants.
The budget will go through its second read at the October meeting and if approved will go to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, where it will be subject to possible adjustment prior to certification.
Along with the budget, the council introduced and approved the first read of the 2025 wage and salary ordinance for the town.
Town council compensation saw no increase: the council president will receive $7,500 per year, the vice president $6,500 and all other council members $6,000.
The goal of this year’s wage and salary ordinance according to council president Marissa Skaggs was to give town employees a 5% increase to their salary and to increase the longevity bonus from capping out at 25 years instead of 20. The bonus awards full-time employees with an extra $200 per year for each full year of accredited service.
With the increases, the town manager will now be paid $4,196.46 per bi-weekly pay. The town’s clerk-treasurer has a salary of $47,500 per year.
Other town positions, such as those in the planning department, utility office, electric department, water department, street department and stormwater department were approved in the ordinance as well.
The 5% increase ranged from a $2 per hour increase to $5 more per hour for some employees.
In each category the highest wages are planning director ($3,818 per pay), utility office staff and police department office manager ($30.84 per hour), electric department superintendent ($53.32 per hour), water department superintendent ($36.34 per hour), street department superintendent ($33.24 per hour) and stormwater department superintendent ($32.95 per hour).
In the police department wages are as follows: Chief ($4,100.51 per pay), captain ($3,836.54 per pay), sergeant ($3,158.46 per pay) and patrol officer ($2,828.11 per pay).
The salary and wage ordinance will go through its second read, along with the 2025 budget, at the October meeting.