The Lake County Council started its 2025 budget process Tuesday with the majority of department heads requesting a 3% raise for their employees.

During budget presentations, the council hears from each department head about what their 2025 budget requires. The council members asked questions, but no decisions were made Tuesday, said Council President Christine Cid, D-East Chicago.

Overall, the majority of department heads have asked for a 3% increase in salaries for their employees and non-salary items have remained mostly the same since 2024, said Scott Schmal, Lake County finance director.

“Departments are doing a great job offsetting salary increases through managing non-salary costs,” Schmal said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department will see an increase in police officer salaries as part of the recent collective bargaining agreement, said Lake County Sheriff Chief of Police Vince Balbo.

Department officials “made some reductions, made some efficiency changes,” by picking up more funds from pension contributions, which reduces the amount the county has to give to the pension, said William Paterson, an independent contractor with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

“The main issue here is doing what we could to support that pay raise,” Paterson said.

In July, the council approved an agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Union Chris Anton Lodge No. 125/Lake County Police Association Local 72 AFL-CIO which includes a 7% pay increase for 2024, retroactive to Jan. 1, a 5% increase in 2025 and a 4% increase in 2026.

For non-payroll items, the sheriff’s department budget is balanced and similar to the 2024 budget, Paterson said.

The jail’s budget honors the collective bargaining agreement of a 4% increase for jail staff and a 3% raise for civilian positions, Paterson said.

Department officials requested the creation of a jail front desk position, which required reductions in other parts of the budget to cover that, Paterson said.

For the jail non-payroll items, Paterson said money was moved around “just to be more efficient,” to cover the collective bargaining agreement raises and establish the new jail department position.

The Lake County Prosecutor’s office requested a 4% increase to its budget and to hire two attorneys in the Special Victims Unit to help in the child advocacy center, said prosecutor Bernard Carter.

The Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman said the department is requesting for a new line item to be created for unused funds to be transferred into a non-reverting fund annually for the purchase of election equipment.

Right now, Fajman said the department has $1.6 million through Help America Vote Act grant funds set aside for election equipment.

“That is nowhere near the amount of money that we would need when our system has reached its lifespan. We want to start planning and using some of the unused funds from our budget, so we can start funding that and be ready for in future years,” she said.

The department projects returning $53,000 to the county next year, Fajman said. But, it’s possible that number can change because this year’s presidential election could require hiring more part-time employees to help with the election, she said.

The goal, Fajman said, would be for the council to approve a new line item for unused funds and that $53,000 could be moved there instead of into the county’s general fund. With the new line item, Fajman said she hopes that would be the new process for the department’s unused funds.

“If we start putting in a little bit of money year after year after year, we’re that much more prepared,” Fajman said.

Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Assistant Director LeAnn Angerman said the election machines are electronics that have a shelf life of about 10 to 12 years. Angerman said she applies for grants on behalf of the department, but the grants are restrictive.

The goal, Angerman said, would be to set aside funds to avoid an emergency later.

“That’s going to come up in the not too far future,” Angerman said. “When we need new election equipment, we do anticipate it will be several million dollars. At that point, we don’t want to come in and say, ‘Hey guess what, we need several million dollars please come up with it on the spot for us’.”

Schmal said he doesn’t like the idea of setting the funds aside in a non-reverting fund, saying it could be “messy.” The election officials should give the county information on how many more years the current election equipment is operable, but $50,000 incremental payments over a handful of years won’t make a dent into a payment of millions of dollars, he said.

“Just food for thought for you guys,” Fajman said. “We’re just trying to help out in any way we can of being prepared for that day when it comes.”

Fajman said she’s also requesting a 3% increase for all positions, including the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration board members.

For herself and Angerman, Fajman said she’s requesting a 5% increase given their recent federal and state certifications, the only two Indiana election officials to have such certifications. The 5% increase would cost $1,394, she said.

The election office has two employees who deal with campaign finance, Fajman said, and she’s requesting a 4% increase for those two employees because their positions are “highly specialized.”

The council will hold two budget workshops ahead of the initial budget approval Sept. 17 and five budget workshops ahead of the final approval Oct. 15.

akukulka@chicagotribune .com