Berne council adopts animal control pact with Adams County

A one-year agreement between Berne and Adams County for use of the county’s “animal care and control services” was passed by the Berne City Council at its December 11 meeting, 4-0.

With councilwoman Kelly Amstutz absent, the measure was adopted, with these provisions:

--“The county shall receive and process stray animals found or captured in Berne which are delivered to the [county animal shelter]” and “the county will provide suitable sheltering for said animals and provide such services as are required . . . regarding sheltering, return to owners, adoption, and euthanization of animals.”

--The city will pay $6,900 to the county for services rendered.

--The county shall provide available statistical information regarding services rendered in a digital format or a mutually-agreed schedule.

The council also approved 14 holidays in 2024 that will be officially observed by the city government: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving holiday, Christmas Eve,

Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.

Finally, there was a 4-0 tally to continue to hold public meetings of the council on the second and fourth Mondays each month in City Hall at 6 p.m., except for these three meeting dates: --Tuesday, May 28. --Tuesday, October

15. --Tuesday, November

12.

Maller Reports

At the last city council gathering of her 32-year career, retiring clerk-treasurer Gwen Maller gave good news about Berne’s 2024 budget, saying it had been approved by Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance.

She noted that the DLGF also listed a much larger assessed valuation of taxable property in the city than Berne had preliminarily advertised. The city listed the valuation at $128 million, but the state says it’s actually $152 million. Maller then said next year’s tax rate per $100 of assessed property value will be $1.16, just four cents more than this year’s rate. The city had estimated the tax rate at $1.449 cents, but the DLGF reduced it to $1.16 because of the big increase in the overall assessed valuation.

The clerk-treasurer’s closing comment on the city’s budget was simple: “We’re all set and approved and ready to go for 2024.”