County opts to have jail blend in

The county will spend about $40,000 to try to make the expanded Jay County Jail blend in with downtown Portland. Jay County Commissioners voted 2-1 this morning to make the additional improvements.

Jeff Badders of SchenkelShultz Architecture told the commissioners that work to build parapets on the Main Street-facing side of the expansion will cost between $40,000 to $45,000.

Commissioners Milo Miller Jr. and Faron Parr voted to approve the change, while commissioner Jim Zimmerman opposed it.

The façade, a request by the Portland Historic Preservation Commission, would help the jail blend in with the architectural style of other downtown structures. Earlier in the construction planning, the commissioners decided to scrap original plans for a more detailed façade - which would have cost around $140,000 to construct - and explored the less expensive, less detailed version.

In prior meetings when the topic was discussed, Miller, who is also a member of the historic preservation commission board, expressed a desire to try to cooperate with the commission in its mission to preserve the downtown.

Zimmerman, however, had argued for saving the money, stating that although the building might not match other downtown structures, it would in no way detract from the aesthetics of the area.

Parr, who owns a building in the downtown, straddled the middle ground on the issue. At a previous meeting, he said that he would be willing to support the façade plans if money could be created within the project by saving in other areas.

Today, Badders delivered the construction estimate and informed the commissioners that they had more than $100,000 available that had been budgeted for utility and underground work. The decision bubbled to the surface today, since construction crews are nearing the point where they need to begin the façade work.

"People aren't going to care what the front of that building looks like," Zimmerman said, stating after a time, the jail exterior will become just another common sight in town.

Zimmerman said he's not opposed to an aesthetically pleasing downtown, but said he didn't think the basic design of the jail would detract from the community.

"I'm in favor of saving money where we can save money," he said.

Miller then solicited the opinions of frequent meeting attendees Jim Sanders, Jim Spade, Paula Confer and Carter Leonard.

"It's a nice gesture ... but it's going to do nothing and no one's going to notice it," said Sanders, a Portland resident. Spade and Confer agreed.

Leonard disagreed.

"I would try to ... make it as aesthetically the same," he said. "I think it's a marvelous that we have an opportunity."

Attorney Bill Hinkle also weighed in, pointing out that the county could be a pioneer for historic preservation in Portland.

"I think this would send a message - the county is doing their part to try to keep the aesthetics of the community," he said, and added later, "It's a step. You're showing the community that the county appreciates that."

But since the jail bonding affected the entire county's property tax rate and not just Portland's, Confer, a Knox Township resident, argued that the money shouldn't be spent on non-functional improvements.

"If I'm going to put tax dollars into it, I don't want it to go to aesthetics," she said.

"I didn't want to spend more than we were bonding for," Parr said. Noting that through other savings, there is more than enough available to make the change. "We're still saving money."

And, as a downtown business owner himself, Parr also supported the idea of historic preservation and community improvement, even if it does cost a bit extra.

"You're taking a little pride in what you're doing. It will look nice and it should," he added. "If we don't do it, that really sends a negative message."

Miller cast the final and deciding vote to support it.

"We told the commission if we could do it within our budgeted amount ... we would consider it," he said.[[In-content Ad]]