Administration and Finance Committee Meeting - August 19, 2026

Note: The agenda listed the meeting for August 18, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., but the provided date indicates August 19, 2026, at 6:15 p.m. This summary uses the latter date.

The Administration and Finance Committee of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council met to consider two proposals and hold budget hearings for four agencies. Both proposals were approved unanimously, and budget presentations were received without votes.

Proposal No. 275, 2025 - Additional Appropriation of $19,000,000

Abby Hansen (Office of Finance and Management) presented the fiscal package, funding the following:

• Circle City Readers Program: $400,000 for the spring semester. The program was not included in the 2027 budget; the city intends to hand off the program playbook to schools or nonprofits.
• Department of Metropolitan Development: $150,000 to support a committee of experts and community members reviewing data center zoning (following a moratorium).
• Public Defender Agency: $150,000 for document destruction. The agency will destroy 27% of files, reducing annual storage costs by $20,000.
• Election Board: $4,000,000 as a down payment for election equipment upgrades. Total cost is $14.5 million; remaining $10.5 million will be addressed in future fiscal years. Current equipment is failing (17 failures in the 2026 primary). The vendor has agreed to hold pricing through negotiations.
• Office of Finance and Management: $2,200,000 to build out additional bed capacity at the Assessment Intervention Center (AIC) for a weather-activated shelter for single men and couples. Last winter, 1,139 individuals were sheltered. The space currently has a dirt floor and will be finished.
• Parks and Recreation: $650,000 for security cameras covering 23 parks and 29 assets (not Flock cameras). Also, $1,450,000 for hardcourt renovations at 14 parks (including pickleball, basketball, and tennis lines) and upgrades to the Rhoades Playground, the city's only ADA-accessible playground, which is currently unsafe.
• Road Funding Match: $10,000,000 as a portion of the $50 million road funding match, expected to be spent in 2027.

Councilors asked about the election equipment payment schedule, camera types, and pickleball court lines. The proposal passed unanimously.

Proposal No. 242, 2026 - Reappointment to City-County Audit Committee

Tanya Ndiaye, an accountant with 17 years of business experience, was reappointed to the Audit Committee. She has missed only one of approximately 20 meetings. Councilor Allen asked why she chose the Audit Committee; Ndiaye stated she loves numbers. The reappointment was approved unanimously.

Budget Hearings

Marion County Election Board

Kate Sweeney Bell (Clerk and Secretary of the Election Board) and Patrick Becker (Director of Elections) presented. The Board has 14 full-time staff, manages 630,000 registered voters, and operates the Elections Operations Center (EOC). Key points:

• The $4 million appropriation in Proposal 275 is the first step toward a $14.5 million voting system replacement. Remaining $10.5 million will be pursued through future budgets or financing via the Indiana Bond Bank's HELP program.
• Current equipment is at end of life; failures increased from 1 in 2024 to 17 in the 2026 primary. Without a down payment, other municipalities may acquire the equipment.
• Poll worker pay was adjusted two years ago. Councilor Boots asked about a COLA for poll workers; Bell supported the idea but noted no current issues with recruitment.
• Bell requested notification of vote centers affected by recent flooding.

Marion County Voter Registration

Alex Norenda (Democratic co-director) and Cindy Mowry (Republican co-director) presented. The office has 12 staff, maintains the voter file for 670,000 registered voters, and also handles ballot access measures and referenda. Budget: $1.3 million, a $36,000 increase from 2026, primarily due to cost-of-living adjustments and benefits. Temporary employees are used for petition signature verification; cost for the recent ballot measure was $27,000-$50,000. Councilor Cahill asked about the potential for budget offsets if such measures are not expected in 2027. The office noted that temporary staffing is often needed unpredictably. A typo in the character four budget was corrected (both figures are $4,400).

Marion County Building Authority

Mark Peterson (General Manager) presented. The Authority manages 25 properties, employs 133 people, and has a total budget of $38.3 million. New facilities include IMPD canine/horse barn, park ranger office, Belmont Solid Waste, Animal Care, and the Housing Hub (partial year). Key points:

• City-County Building budget increased 4.5% to $8.3 million; CJC campus increased 6.5% to 12.51 cents/sq ft.
• Capital repairs: $2.5 million for 28 projects, including upgrades at the Public Safety Training Academy.
• Development of an AI-powered maintenance software (Facilitate 360) for deployment by June 2027.
• Employee turnover dropped 6% compared to previous year; retention rate is 93%.
• Councilor Cahill discussed the possibility of the Building Authority managing additional city properties (e.g., DPW garages). Peterson noted that a budget estimate was provided previously but not funded.
• The Authority operates on a state fiscal year, which differs from the city's fiscal year, due to state statute.

Marion County Cooperative Extension Service

Laura Dodds (Regional Operations Leader) and Rita Blythe (Director of Operations) presented. The office serves Marion County with research-based programming from Purdue University. Budget: $960,000, a $6,000 decrease from 2026. Key points:

• In 2025, served over 25,000 residents with 707 educational program hours.
• Transitioning to a regional model with six counties, but Marion County retains seven educators locally.
• Programs include urban farming, mental health first aid, and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Councilor Nielsen praised VITA and requested future budget data on its impact.
• No new or expanded programs requested for 2027.

Key Outcomes

• Proposal No. 275 (additional appropriation of $19,000,000) was approved by voice vote with no opposition.
• Proposal No. 242 (reappointment of Tanya Ndiaye) was approved by voice vote with no opposition.
• Budget hearings were informational; no votes were taken on agency budgets.
• The Building Authority will continue developing its Facilitate 360 software and exploring management of additional city properties.
• The Election Board will proceed with equipment procurement using the $4 million down payment, with remaining $10.5 million to be addressed in future budgets.
• The Cooperative Extension Service will continue regional transition and maintain current service levels.