Follow the funds

The 2012 county budget made it through its first public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 6, with councilman Phillip Stoller providing the only dissenting vote. County Council members had already discussed the details in earlier meetings. To learn more about the latest meeting, see the Wednesday, Sept. 7, News-Banner.

The county budget funds the operations of multiple organizations:

• Extension office
• Assessor
• Auditor
• Clerk
• Election
• Probation
• Tobacco
• Custodian (courthouse)
• Treasurer
• Coroner
• Veteran's
• Health PHP
• EMA/LEPC
• Highway
• Prosecutor
• Recorder
• Community Corrections
• Circuit Court
• Superior Court
• Sheriff and jail
• Area Plan GIS
• Surveyor/Drainage Board
• E911
• Commissioners
• Bridges
• Communication Corrections
• Soil and Water Commissioners
• Solid Waste (Recycle)
• Soil and Water/Rockcreek
• Wells County Public Library
• Towns (not including the City of Bluffton)
• Townships
• City of Bluffton
  

While the County Council discussed the budget, the county commissioners discussed economic development. Two organizations — or possibly one — is asking for $10,000 (or $10,000 each, if they are two separate entities). The commissioners aren't sure, so they asked Wells County Economic Development Director Mike Row to arrange a meeting between the commissioners and a representative from one of the organizations.

Until then, you decide, using the following links to see if the two organizations requesting contributions are the same or if they offer similar services.

• Economic Development District 3A
• Northeast Indiana Regional Coordinating Council