Council keeps county administrator in 2027 budget after bid to cut it fails
The Dubois County Council voted down an attempt to remove funding for a new county administrator position from the 2027 budget at last week’s meeting. It then adopted a $39,300,124 county budget.
Councilman Doug Uebelhor made the motion to remove the position. He cited “the financial constraints and uncertainties, and public disagreement with this.” The motion failed 2-5. Uebelhor and Councilman Alex Hohl were the only members to support it.
Hohl backed the motion.
“We got some real financial constraints. The position is not needed. We’re adding it haphazardly, and there’s some cronyism concerns within the public that I definitely take very seriously,” he said during the discussion.
Council President Mike Kluesner answered by reading from the minutes of the council’s Aug. 18 budget hearing. He said the commissioners had asked the council to fund the position at that hearing. According to the minutes he read, the council reached a 5-2 consensus to approve funding, with Uebelhor and Hohl dissenting.
“So, just so the public knows it was voted on and had a consensus at that time,” he said.
After the motion failed, the council approved the full county budget. No opposition was heard.
This is the county’s second attempt at the position.
In October 2025, the council voted 5-2 to fund it. Uebelhor and Hohl opposed it then as well, over the cost and concerns that its duties overlapped with what existing staff already do. The pay range was set at $75,000 a year. Uebelhor estimated the total cost would be more than $100,000 once benefits were included.
A few days later, the commissioners deadlocked 1-1. Stenftenagel voted yes and Commissioner Nick Hostetter voted no. Blessinger abstained, saying he might apply for the job. That killed the position before it could go into the 2026 budget.
At the time, County Clerk Amy Kippenbrock, County Assessor Angie Giesler, 911 Director Stuart Wilson and a sheriff’s deputy objected. They argued that funding a high-paying post while county employee raises were capped at 2% sent the wrong message. Kippenbrock also said the process didn’t allow enough public input.
Blessinger brought the proposal back at the commissioners’July 20 meeting this year. He said he wanted other county offices and the public to have time to respond before a vote.
“I don’t want to make a decision without all the information,” he said then.
On Aug. 3, the commissioners voted 2-1 to create the position. Blessinger and Stenftenagel voted yes and Hostetter voted no. The commissioners said they would open the job to applicants rather than appoint someone directly. It is a full-time, 40-hour-a-week position that serves at the pleasure of the commissioners.
Blessinger said the administrator would help with:
- land use and zoning work
- third-party reviews of solar and battery storage standards
- records requests
- ordinance compliance
- carrying out the county’s comprehensive plan
He also said the county had missed training sessions and grant opportunities because it didn’t have enough staff.
With approved funding, the commissioners can move forward with hiring in 2027.
The council also approved these 2027 budgets on voice votes, with no opposition heard:
- Dubois County Solid Waste Management District: $456,593
- Dubois County Airport Authority: $1,622,300
- Northeast Dubois Fire District: $135,300
- Northeast Dubois School Corporation: $12,256,318
