Council approves $75,000 riverboat postage appropriation after debate over holiday cards and nonessential mail

The Vanderburgh County Council voted July 2 to approve a $75,000 appropriation from the riverboat fund for postage and freight.

Council members discussed recurring postage costs and suggested the county curb nonessential uses such as holiday cards and social invitations. “One of my concerns would be is that things like, holiday cards, that kind of things, invitations to, you know, luncheons and things like that… we do not need to spend postage money on anything outside of what we're doing to run government,” a council member said.

Staff said they had compiled billing spreadsheets and that monthly billings for May totaled about $15,000; another council member said the county will work on reducing discretionary postage use. The $75,000 motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The council did not adopt an ordinance restricting communications spending at the July 2 meeting but members asked staff to track billings and present potential policy or ordinance options if discretionary mailings are identified.