RICHMOND, Ind.—Silence.
That was the finding when Wayne County Council President Beth Leisure solicited public comment Wednesday night on the county’s announced $53,291,133 budget for 2023. No residents attended the public hearing.
The same happened when Leisure requested public comment on the Wayne Union Recycling Solid Waste Management District’s announced $129,073 budget.
Budgets are scheduled for adoption on October 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Wayne County Administration Building at 501 E. Main St. in Richmond. Until then, however, there is still work for the council to do as it finalizes the county budget. He has yet to make decisions about applying for new posts and about the blanket salary increase for county officials.
The approved 2022 budget of $54,022,688 was more than $2.5 million less than the announced budget of $56,677,236.
Information on budgets for all Wayne County units can be found on the statewide Gateway website at budgetnotices.in.gov. All Wayne County cities, towns, municipalities, school districts and libraries are required to report their budgets and conduct public hearings prior to budget approval.
Townships with remaining scheduled public hearings are:
- Wayne Township sponsored a budget of $2,329,853 with a public hearing scheduled for September 27 at 4:00 p.m. and a budget passage scheduled for October 11 at 4:00 p.m., both at 1417 N.A St., Richmond; and
- Abington Township sponsored a budget of $223,343 with a public hearing scheduled for September 27 at 6:00 p.m. and a budget passage scheduled for October 26 at 6:00 p.m., both at 4618 Pottershop Road.
Greene Township has yet to submit its budget information to Gateway.
Cities with remaining scheduled public hearings are:
- Boston, sponsored a budget of $27,005 with a public hearing September 26 at 7:00 p.m. and a budget passage scheduled for October 10 at 7:00 p.m., both at 102 S. Salem St.; and
- Hagerstown, sponsored a budget of $1,588,769 with a public hearing October 3 at 6:30 p.m. and a budget acceptance scheduled for October 17 at 6:30 p.m., both at 49 E. College St.
Mount Auburn and Whitewater have not yet provided any information to Gateway.
The Richmond Community School Corp. is the only county school district that has not yet had a public hearing. Hearing for an announced budget of $65,759,494 is scheduled for September 28 at 5:30 p.m. with budget approval scheduled for October 12 at 5:30 p.m. Both take place at 300 Hub Etchison Parkway, Richmond.
Cambridge City Public Library is the only district library system to have conducted a public consultation. The hearing for the announced budget of $425,774 is scheduled for September 27 at 4:00 p.m. and the budget passage is scheduled for October 25 at 4:00 p.m., both at 600 W. Main St., Cambridge City.
