Probate court salary adjustments and internal transfers cleared by committee for full-council approval

The Probate Court asked the council to approve two related budget amendments (bills 2-26 and 3-26) to reallocate existing appropriations and make several positions full time. Judge Laura Zapier and representative James A. Masters told the committee the changes are revenue neutral because funds are being shifted among existing accounts rather than added to the overall budget.

Key elements include increasing a judicial-referee position from a $78,000 (2.5-day) slot to $102,000 for a full-time referee and converting another referee to a $98,000 full-time position by shifting funds from a senior adviser line. The court also proposed transfers totaling specific amounts (e.g., $13,637 to augment the human-resources director salary up to $78,584 and $15,204 to fund six special deputies at increased salaries) and adjustments to security staff salaries tied to added fleet-management and transport duties.

Council members questioned sequencing across the two forms, which initially appeared to create a roughly $1,700 discrepancy in the senior-adviser line. Kristen Symansky, controller for the Saint Joseph Probate Court, and Mr. Masters confirmed they had used the then-current salary figure on both forms per staff guidance and that, when processed in sequence, the combined result left $18,300 in the senior adviser account. The committee voted to forward both bills to the full council with a favorable recommendation.