SHOALS, Ind. — The Martin County Council conducted an efficient regular session Monday evening, formally adopting the 2027 county operational budgets, receiving a positive annual evaluation on the sheriff’s merit pension fund, and addressing driver shortages for the county’s Veterans Service Office.

Following the opening Pledge of Allegiance, the council addressed the formal adoption of the 2027 fiscal year budgets and tax levies for Martin County and the Martin County Solid Waste Management District under Ordinance Resolutions 2026-32 and 2026-33.

The formal adoption resolution stated that “for expenses of Martin County for the year ending December 31st, 2027 the sums herein specified are hereby appropriated and ordered set apart out of the several funds herein named and for the purposes herein specified, subject to the laws governing the same.”

Under the adopted civil levy specifications, the county projected an estimated maximum property tax levy of $2,942,768, with a total property tax levy set at $3,205,000.

Individual fund budgets and levies approved under the resolution included:

• General Fund: Adopted budget of $4,780,613 with an adopted tax levy of $1,500,000.
• Reassessment Fund: Adopted budget of $281,825 with an adopted tax levy of $175,000.
• Cumulative Bridge Fund: Adopted budget of $236,663 with an adopted tax levy of $220,000.
• County Health Fund: Adopted budget of $90,485 with an adopted tax levy of $80,000.
• Cumulative Capital Development (CCD): Adopted budget of $188,000 with an adopted tax levy of $230,000.

In addition to county operations, the council adopted the 2027 Solid Waste Management District budget of $739,241. Officials noted that the solid waste budget does not draw from property taxes, operating strictly from collected user fees. The council approved both budget measures unanimously.

Sheriff’s Merit Pension Plan Health Report

During the regular meeting, Martin County Sheriff Josh Greene introduced Mary Dishman from German American Wealth Advisory Group to present the annual actuarial valuation of the Martin County Sheriff’s Merit Board retirement plans.

Dishman explained that a new state statute, Senate Bill 144, now mandates an annual public presentation to fiscal bodies outlining the fiscal health of local public safety retirement systems.

“We have taken care of the Sheriff’s pension plan since 2019,” Dishman said. “And as he mentioned this year, we had SB 144 pass. And so basically that just means that we have to come… or the board has to kind of present the health of the plan to you guys, and we are doing that.”

Dishman outlined the core metrics for the defined benefit retirement plan as of the Jan. 1, 2026, valuation (tracking through Dec. 31, 2025):

• Funding Ratio: 90.0%, up from 86.3% the previous year and 67.7% when German American assumed management in 2019.
• Total Plan Assets: $2,587,738.31.
• Investment Returns: The plan achieved an actual calendar-year investment return of 17.77% (9.9% on an actuarial smoothing basis), exceeding the required 6.0% actuarial assumption.
• 2025 Contributions: County contributions totaled $163,669, while employee contributions totaled $19,369, generating $183,038 in total deposits.
• Plan Demographics: The plan supports eight active merit officers, with three retirees and one surviving spouse beneficiary drawing annual benefits totaling $108,343.

Dishman also detailed the smaller, separate monthly disability and death benefit plan:

• Funding Ratio: 71.5%.
• Total Assets: $152,998.34.
• Investment Return: 13.71% in 2025.
• Contributions & Payouts: County contributions totaled $18,945, with $7,200 paid out across three beneficiaries.

Addressing council questions regarding whether county tax contributions could decrease in future years, Dishman urged steady fiscal discipline until the plan reaches full capitalization.

“We have to get to 100% first and stay there for several years,” Dishman said. “When German American took over the plan in 2019, the plan was 67.7% funded. We’ve worked it up the last several years to 90%. Obviously the market plays a hand in that.”

Dishman credited strategic portfolio restructuring for the consistent gains.

“Your asset allocation was about 50% stocks, 50% bonds. We increased that to 75% stocks, 25% bonds,” Dishman explained. “And so obviously that is gonna help with the growth and the funding status, because the majority of the growth in the plan is coming from the stock market.”

Council members commended the progress, noting that eliminating the unfunded liability saves taxpayers from paying the functional equivalent of carrying interest.

Veterans Transportation Solutions and Wage Amendments

The council next tackled ongoing logistical hurdles facing the Martin County Veterans Service Office (VSO), specifically regarding transporting local veterans to distant medical centers.

Council members were asked to approve a salary and wage amendment in the General Fund establishing a designated driver compensation line under the VSO department.

“This is the third time that we’ve not had a driver for a veteran that has to go to Indianapolis,” an official reported. “We only have a couple volunteers, three I think, and one of those won’t go to Indy. The veteran has an appointment this Wednesday and Paul had to ask one of the highway guys if they’d be able to drive. So this is to pay a highway guy to drive this veteran to Indianapolis.”

The stopgap measure prompted an extended discussion on creating permanent, funded transport arrangements rather than relying entirely on unpaid volunteers or pulling county highway employees away from road work.

“Transportation, wages, driving services… something like that, because this keeps coming up,” one council member urged. “We’ve got to serve our veterans. I’m not one, but I support them.”

Council members debated establishing either an hourly wage or a predictable daily per diem (such as $50 to $60 for regional half-day trips and $100 to $125 for all-day runs to Indianapolis) to account for heavy city traffic and lengthy hospital appointments.

“Greene County’s got a VSO officer, three people work under him. They’re finding money. Other counties are finding money,” a councilman stated. “Sure we can find $10,000 to $12,000 for drivers to take a veteran somewhere… If you’re talking three or four a month, that’s only $500, that’s $6,000 a year.”

The council voted unanimously to adopt the salary amendment and approved an immediate intra-fund transfer moving $200 from the VSO postage budget to the veteran van driver line to cover this week’s emergency run. Officials agreed to coordinate with the Martin County Commissioners and the Veterans Service Officer to establish a formalized line item and mileage framework ahead of the upcoming year.

Before adjourning, council members noted that the Martin County Courthouse will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Columbus Day. The next regular Martin County Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2, at 6:30 p.m.