July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
CCD road funding OK'd (5/24/05)
Additional money will be used on county roads
By By Mike Snyder-
They’ve looked for ways to put more money into improving and maintaining the county’s roads for years.
Jay County Commissioners found it on Monday.
The commissioners, at the recommendation of Jay County engineer Dan Watson, amended a resolution on the county’s cumulative capital development fund to allow the money to be used for roads. Previously, the fund was designated for use on bridge maintenance, replacement and inspection.
The fund, which amounts to 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, generates approximately $200,000 annually.
Ken Wellman, superintendent of the Jay County Highway Department, said approximately $30,000 to $50,000 from cumulative capital development will be used for an experimental dust control program recommended recently by the county road committee.
The committee asked that calcium chloride be applied to 100 miles of county stone roads. That application will cost about $150,000, or about $50,000 more than expected, Wellman said.
He said an undetermined amount of CCD funds will be used for resurfacing roads, which costs $55,000 to $70,000 per mile.
The schedule for this summer calls for 10 miles of road to be resurfaced and a maintenance layer added to 85 miles of chip-and-seal roads, Wellman said.
Watson said this morning the CCD fund has a balance of approximately $700,000.
Also Monday, Commissioners Faron Parr, Gary Theurer and Milo Miller Jr., along with several other county officials, approved by consensus a safety plan for the courthouse and other county facilities.
The plan outlines procedures and actions in the event of a variety of events, including fire,
Continued from page 1
tornado, bomb threats, workplace violence, hostage situations, earthquake and chemical/biological attack.
During discussion of the plan, which does not cover courthouse security, Miller once again said the commissioners appear to be heading toward a day when there will be only one public entrance to the courthouse (the south entrance). Options for that entrance could include a staffed metal detector.
“Is that kind of security really necessary?” asked Jim Waechter, coordinator of public health for the Jay County Health Department.
“No, but (the Department of) Homeland Security thinks it is,” answered Miller, who said he envisions a secured entrance for county employees and elected officials on the north side of the courthouse. The county is currently exploring the possibility of purchasing a building on the north side of Walnut Street across the courthouse that would be torn down and used for parking.
Miller said there will be some resistance to restricting public access to the courthouse, but “after it’s set in place ... it’ll be fine. The next plan we come up with be safety.”
Nearly the only discussion about the safety plan Monday came from county assessor Anita Mills, who said she won’t be going to the basement as recommended during a tornado. “I’d rather stay upstairs than go into the dungeon,” Mills said.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Discussed briefly the ongoing problems with septic systems in a subdivision southwest of Portland that are contaminating the Salamonie River. The county has been cited by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the pollution, which is coming from homes in the Foxfire Subdivision and possibly also from homes along Ind. 67 between county roads 125 South and 300 West.
The commissioners have discussed the possibility of forming a regional sanitary sewer district, but have taken no action.
When the problem was first discovered last fall, the primary option discussed was connecting to the city of Portland sewer system near Jay County High School. An engineer was hired by Foxfire residents to explore possible solutions, but no public report on findings has been made.
Commissioners’ attorney Brad Burkett and Miller met with IDEM officials in April about the issue.
“I would like (a sanitary district) to be formed, but (the commissioners) haven’t made a decision,” Burkett said.
Burkett said that because of the complexity of the law regarding sewer districts, he would recommend the commissioners hire a consultant to help guide them through the process.
•Voted to re-zone three acres for a rural Bryant couple that plans to operate a horse tack and supply shop from a building at their residence. The request from Johnny and Norma Nichols, 277 West 500 North, was recommended earlier this month by the Jay County Planning Commission.[[In-content Ad]]
Jay County Commissioners found it on Monday.
The commissioners, at the recommendation of Jay County engineer Dan Watson, amended a resolution on the county’s cumulative capital development fund to allow the money to be used for roads. Previously, the fund was designated for use on bridge maintenance, replacement and inspection.
The fund, which amounts to 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, generates approximately $200,000 annually.
Ken Wellman, superintendent of the Jay County Highway Department, said approximately $30,000 to $50,000 from cumulative capital development will be used for an experimental dust control program recommended recently by the county road committee.
The committee asked that calcium chloride be applied to 100 miles of county stone roads. That application will cost about $150,000, or about $50,000 more than expected, Wellman said.
He said an undetermined amount of CCD funds will be used for resurfacing roads, which costs $55,000 to $70,000 per mile.
The schedule for this summer calls for 10 miles of road to be resurfaced and a maintenance layer added to 85 miles of chip-and-seal roads, Wellman said.
Watson said this morning the CCD fund has a balance of approximately $700,000.
Also Monday, Commissioners Faron Parr, Gary Theurer and Milo Miller Jr., along with several other county officials, approved by consensus a safety plan for the courthouse and other county facilities.
The plan outlines procedures and actions in the event of a variety of events, including fire,
Continued from page 1
tornado, bomb threats, workplace violence, hostage situations, earthquake and chemical/biological attack.
During discussion of the plan, which does not cover courthouse security, Miller once again said the commissioners appear to be heading toward a day when there will be only one public entrance to the courthouse (the south entrance). Options for that entrance could include a staffed metal detector.
“Is that kind of security really necessary?” asked Jim Waechter, coordinator of public health for the Jay County Health Department.
“No, but (the Department of) Homeland Security thinks it is,” answered Miller, who said he envisions a secured entrance for county employees and elected officials on the north side of the courthouse. The county is currently exploring the possibility of purchasing a building on the north side of Walnut Street across the courthouse that would be torn down and used for parking.
Miller said there will be some resistance to restricting public access to the courthouse, but “after it’s set in place ... it’ll be fine. The next plan we come up with be safety.”
Nearly the only discussion about the safety plan Monday came from county assessor Anita Mills, who said she won’t be going to the basement as recommended during a tornado. “I’d rather stay upstairs than go into the dungeon,” Mills said.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Discussed briefly the ongoing problems with septic systems in a subdivision southwest of Portland that are contaminating the Salamonie River. The county has been cited by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for the pollution, which is coming from homes in the Foxfire Subdivision and possibly also from homes along Ind. 67 between county roads 125 South and 300 West.
The commissioners have discussed the possibility of forming a regional sanitary sewer district, but have taken no action.
When the problem was first discovered last fall, the primary option discussed was connecting to the city of Portland sewer system near Jay County High School. An engineer was hired by Foxfire residents to explore possible solutions, but no public report on findings has been made.
Commissioners’ attorney Brad Burkett and Miller met with IDEM officials in April about the issue.
“I would like (a sanitary district) to be formed, but (the commissioners) haven’t made a decision,” Burkett said.
Burkett said that because of the complexity of the law regarding sewer districts, he would recommend the commissioners hire a consultant to help guide them through the process.
•Voted to re-zone three acres for a rural Bryant couple that plans to operate a horse tack and supply shop from a building at their residence. The request from Johnny and Norma Nichols, 277 West 500 North, was recommended earlier this month by the Jay County Planning Commission.[[In-content Ad]]
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