Bartholomew County has renewed its agreement with a consultant that works with the federal government to reimburse the county for specified expenses.
Bartholomew County Commissioners on Monday voted 2-0 to approve three contracts with Malinowski Consulting Inc., based in Carmel, for services. Bartholomew County Commissioner Rick Flohr was absent from the meeting.
The county agreed to renew its contract with the firm for an annual fee of $7,315 for three years that will cover services tied to the county’s annual cost allocation plans for 2018 to 2020.
Charles Malinowski, president of Malinowski Consulting Inc., told commissioners that his role will involve recouping money owed to the county for certain operating expenses such as processing payroll, accounting and liability insurance. The county has used the firm since 2004 and has been charged $6,650 annually each of the past 12 years, with the new rate reflecting a 10 percent increase, Malinowski said.
Malinowski said he anticipates Bartholomew County will be reimbursed $100,000 through his work that will go back into its general fund. The firm will be paid for its services through money that is eventually recouped, according to the county.
“The county doesn’t have the knowledge or software in-house,” Malinowski said.
Bartholomew County Auditor Barb Hackman said Malinowski Consulting Inc. has also assisted her office with audits, saying the firm’s work was helpful in getting costs reimbursed by the federal government.
Malinowksi Consulting Inc.’s work will include an audit defense with state and federal auditors, according to the county.
Commissioners also approved two other agreements with the firm for work related to reimbursement of funds tied to child support enforcement services for the Bartholomew County Clerk’s Office and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.
Malinowski will charge each office $750 a month under the agreements, which don’t have a specific time frame of how long they will last. The firm will specifically recover Title IV-D expenses, he said.
Title IV-D is the state and federal funding of specific child support cases that allow for the reimbursement of 66 percent of eligible costs, according the county.
He added that costs such as wages and fringe benefits are among the expenses that can be submitted for reimbursement. This year, Malinowski said he has been able to recoup $553,000 for the prosecutor’s office from January to April, while the county clerk’s office has received $41,000.
“We just figure out how much it costs and charge the federal government through the state of Indiana,” Malinowski said.
Bartholomew County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said Malinowski’s work has been beneficial for the county.
“He has an expertise of recouping funds that are available in being recouped,” Kleinhenz said.
