County commissioners support hiring financial consultant for a full year

Kosciusko County Courthouse.
By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — Kosciusko County is moving beyond the test-run phase with a financial consulting firm.

Six months ago, the county agreed to a six-month trial run with an Indianapolis firm to see if it would be a good fit.

County council member Kathy Groninger on Tuesday made the request to the commissioners for a 12-month contract with Reedy Financial that would cost about $60,000.

The presentation did not include a recap on the first six months of work by the company.

County commissioner Bob Conley expressed confusion over who the company was.

Fellow commissioner Cary Groninger recapped the plan.

“They’re going to help us identify — once we have a strategic plan and we know what  items we’re going to move forward with and fund — one of their objectives is to help us then then figure out our funding sources we currently have and how we could currently fund those projects or those initiatives,” Cary Groninger said.

Kathy Groninger said one of the aspects the firm would look at is developing a plan on how to take care of long-term physical needs for the courthouse and Justice building.

The county has never had an in-depth maintenance plan for the two buildings and is currently implementing nearly $2 million in upgrades for carpet, paint and wallpaper.

The commissioners approved the contract unanimously.

County council will consider the contract extension at its meeting on Dec. 14.

The move would likely be the first time the county has ever relied on a consultant to assist with forming financial policy decisions on behalf of the county.