County gets solar heat grant

With the help of a 50 percent matching grant, the county highway department garage will be getting a new solar heating system.

Community developer Ami Huffman informed the Jay County Commissioners Monday the county has been awarded an alternative grant from the Indiana Office of Energy Development. The grant will cover half the cost of the $38,224.34 system, with the county paying the rest. The system will be installed by Solartech, Portland.

Solartech will replace the 55 percent efficient heating system in the garage, which burned 6,600 gallons of propane in 2007-2008, with 97 percent efficient heaters that utilize solar power with propane backups.

The estimated yearly fuel savings for the county is $8,900. The solar system will also reduce carbon emissions by approximately 30 tons per year.

In other business Monday, the commissioners:

•Signed an emergency claim for $12,800 for the Emergency Management Agency to purchase a 2006 Ford pickup truck from Ken Kunkle Chevrolet Cadillac.

•Signed an ordinance amending the county's personnel policy to clear up a contradiction about food reimbursement for county employees.

Employees must turn in receipts from food purchases to receive reimbursement up to $26 per day if their trip for county business meets certain specification. Employees will only receive compensation equal to the purchases and not receive the total allowance.

The ordinance also amended the section regarding the Federal and Medical Leave Act, stating that while on FMLA absence, an employee may not seek interim employment. The change was made to reflect the same change in the federal policy.[[In-content Ad]]