Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Friday, August 30, 2013
(NEW ALBANY) - Floyd County is currently in the middle of David Camm’s third murder trial and soon the trial of suspected serial killer William Clyde Gibson is expected to start.
WAVE 3 reports, both are high profile cases and together are expected to cost taxpayers $2 million.
As day five of the Camm trial comes to an end in Lebanon, Indiana. Back at home county leaders are scrambling to come up with ways to foot the bill.
"I just know that we need to get past this," said John Schellenberger, Floyd County Council president.
There is good news. "We're not ready to go bankrupt or anything like that," said Scott Clark, Floyd County Auditor.
Floyd County Commissioners and the county council discussed the different options on the table on Wednesday night. They can either borrow from other county funds, take out a loan or dip into the 2014 budget.
"To me it doesn't really make sense to take a loan out," said Steve Bush, Floyd County Commissioner president.
If they don't take out a line of credit, the majority of the money would be borrowed from the bridge fund to be paid back at a later date.
Clark said when it's all said and done, Camm's trial going on in Boone County will total about $1.6 million.
"The whole 1.6 hasn't been paid out in one year, it's been over the past three and a half years really, but obviously we are going to bear the brunt of the majority of the cost in 2013," said Clark.
In a little more than a month, Gibson's capital murder trial will begin while this case will be tried in New Albany with a Floyd County prosecutor and judge. The jury will be bussed in from Dearborn County because of media exposure.
"So they all have to have hotel rooms, they have to have meals they have to have sheriff's deputies with them, 24 hours, we have to pay for that over time," said Dana Fendley, Floyd County Council vice president.
The Gibson trial is expected to cost the Floyd County tax payers another $400,000. As leaders focus on what to do, asking the community to dig deeper doesn't seem to be a top option.
"I don't think we'll raise taxes," said I don't see that. I'm not voting for it. John's not voting for it. I don't see that as an option."
The county will get some repayment from the state in both trials. They hope to have their final decision on how to pay for these high profile cases during the next council meeting on September 10.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.