Budget requests dropping (06/19/06)

Jay County Commissioners today approved budget request down about 4 percent from last year.

Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr will present to the county council a budget request for 2007 of $2,017,335.20. That’s down from the 2006 budget of $2,099,083.10.

The drainage board budget request for 2007 will remain the same at $12,829.90, as will the infrastructure fund request of $256,000.

Commissioners will take their request to a county council budget hearing in August with adoption of the county’s budget to be completed in September.

Beth Leonhard, 4-H extension educator with the Jay County office of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, asked commissioners today for an increase in the amount the county contributes to the program.

Leonhard said the $5,000 commissioners have contributed annually the past 25 years goes toward the purchase of trophies, ribbons, and manuals for the county’s 700 4-Hers, but as costs continue to increase, expenses exceed that amount.

“In other words, the money we’re spending isn’t doing the job,” Miller asked Leonhard.

She explained that several fundraising events are held throughout the year to help the program meet operational costs.

“Could you live with $7,000 or $8,000?” Miller asked Leonhard. He told her to take her request to the county council meeting in July. Commissioners agreed to place the requested increase in their 2007 budget.

“We’re not promising you anything,” Theurer told Leonhard about the council’s final decision.

“This isn’t etched in stone,” noting that the council may choose to cut that request.

The first budget hearing for the county is set for Aug. 8, at 6 p.m. in the commissioner’s room at the courthouse.

In another financial matter, commissioners took under advisement a request from county health officer Dr. Steve Myron to raise the travel and meal reimbursement for the county’s public health coordinator Jim Waechter.

In a letter to commissioners, Myron explained the position involves a great deal of travel and some long hours. The position is fully funded by a grant from the Center for Disease Control and all reimbursements are through the State Department of Health.

There are no county funds involved, he said, but the request must be approved by commissioners since the initial reimbursement comes from the county.

Also today, commissioners heard Jackson Township resident, Terry Copeland, ask about a dust control mat along the road in front of his home on county road 850 West in Penn Township.

Copeland explained that a few years ago he paid for an area of the stone road in front of his house to be chip and sealed. Last year he also paid to have the calcium dust mat spread on either side of that area as well, and felt this year he would not have to pay the fee again.

He said the mat had not yet been put in place, and asked if he would have to pay for it again.

Miller said he would talk with highway superintendent, Ken Wellman, but explained the county had only budgeted $100,000 for the dust control and couldn’t do as much this year as last year.

“I won’t promise you you won’t have to pay, but ...” Miller told Copeland. Earlier this year, commissioners felt that residents who had paid for the initial dust mat last year, would not be assessed fees this year.

Commissioners also heard Redkey Town Board president Dottie Quakenbush express concern about the tall weeds and brush along Halfway Creek that extends through Redkey.

County surveyor Brad Daniels will be asked to look at the situation and spray along the creek, Miller said.

Also today, Rick Davis, who lives near 500 South and 1225 West just south of Dunkirk, expressed concern about semi-truck traffic turning at that intersection.

He said in the past few weeks, an electric utility pole has been knocked down, and telephone lines were also brought down.

He explained the intersection is not wide enough for large trucks to turn, and it results in those rigs getting stuck and having to be pulled out by a wrecker. That effort is also damaging the roadway as well as his lawn.

Commissioners agreed to have Wellman look at the situation.[[In-content Ad]]