Council denies requests (12/9/04)

In denying two relatively routine requests, members of the Jay County Council sent a clear message to county department heads and elected officials: Show up.

Council members, clearly irritated when no one was available to speak for a request to transfer funds within one budget and to add money to another, just said no.

The council, which as usual in its final meeting of the year had a lengthy list of transfers to consider, denied four transfer requests in the prosecutor’s budget, and denied by a failure to act on a request by Jay County Commissioners to add $35,000 to a line item to pay for incarceration of juvenile offenders.

The practice of the council has been to deny requests unless a representative of the office making the request attends the meeting or has contacted a council members to discuss the request.

Andy Schemenaur, attending his final meeting after 16 years as a member of the council said, “I struggle with trying to change the rules in the middle of the game ... I’m just one person, and I won’t be (here) for long.”

Council president Jack Houck concurred. “If people want to transfer, they need to be here ... or get in touch with one of us.”

The denial of the requests will be more of an inconvenience than a problem.

Jay County auditor Freda Corwin said there is currently enough money in the secure juvenile detention fund to pay outstanding bills. Three of the four transfer requests by prosecutor Brad Burkett were for mileage.

A motion to approve the transfers was denied by a 3-4 margin.

Also Wednesday, Jay County community developer Wayne Bailey gave an update and summary of his activities.

One of the main focuses for Bailey, who was hired in 2000 as the county’s first community developer and one of the first in Indiana, has been applying for grants.

“The communities continue to find projects, and we continue to find funding,” Bailey said.

With his assistance, about $1.8 million in grant funding has been obtained in the county, with about $2 million in applications pending. Services provided to communities and the county are valued at $160,000, Bailey said Wednesday night.

Community development, which is under the umbrella of Jay County Development Corporation, is funded by county property taxes.

Bailey said that having grant writing done by a local resident makes applications stronger.

He thanked council members Marilyn Coleman, Gerald Kirby, George Meehan, Todd Wickey, Mark Barnett, Schemenaur and Houck for their support.

“I want to thank you. You’re doing a fine job, Wayne,” Kirby said.

In other business Wednesday, members of the council:

•Gave certificates of appreciation to Schemenaur and Barnett, whose terms expire Dec. 31. Schemenaur failed in a bid to win re-election to his at-large seat on the council, while Barnett instead made a successful run for Jay County coroner.

Republicans Judy LeMaster and Jim Zimmerman will join the council in January.

Schemenaur, who served four four-year terms, urged the council to continue to be diligent in overseeing the county’s budget.

“The only reason the county has the opportunities we have right now is that people at this table hold the line (on finances),” Schemenaur.

•Heard Wickey report that he has been contacted by several county employees who are unhappy with the insurance renewal approved last week by Jay County Commissioners. The commissioners renewed with UnitedHealthcare but switched to a dual-choice plan with reduced benefits.

Commissioners Gary Theurer, Mike Leonhard and Milo Miller Jr. expect to receive quotes through Anthem from several different agents next week. The UnitedHealthcare plan can be canceled on 30 days notice.

•Approved the following additional appropriations: Health department — $100 into employer PERF; Operation Pullover Fund (grant) — $535.03 into overtime; and Infrastructure fund — $9,000 into fairgrounds infrastructure to hook up bathrooms at the fairgrounds to new sewer lines.

•Approved a long list of transfers within department budgets — including a 3-cent transfer caused by a rounding error within the budget of the Jay County office of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. Transfers approved were: Recorder — clerical to first deputy, $538.42; extension service — telephone to wages/clerical, 3 cents; courthouse maintenance — courthouse repair, furniture and equipment to machinery and equipment and computer equipment, $500 each; public defender — pauper appeals to office supplies, $172.40; emergency management — educational training to office supplies, $397.28; health department — registrar to food inspector, $500.[[In-content Ad]]