County taking tractor loan

Jay County Commissioners signed off on a $10,000 short-term loan to purchase a used tractor for brush cutting along county roads.

The loan from First Merchants Bank will allow the Jay County Highway Department to buy a $20,000 1999 Massey Ferguson tractor that will be outfitted with a bush axe for brush cutting in the county.

The highway department is paying $10,000 upfront and obtaining the other $10,000 from the loan, which will be paid back Jan. 5, 2011 with $158 in interest and fees.

The move allows the department to get the tractor now but put off the final payment until 2011 when it will be working out of a fresh budget.

The tractor will replace a 1986 John Deere, which needs about $6,000 in repairs.

The Massey Ferguson will also increase ease of use for operators since the bush axe can be side-mounted as opposed to rear-mounted on the John Deere.

In other business Monday, the commissioners:

•Signed a utility easement for a fiber-optic line to be buried by CenturyLink along county road 450 East just north of county road 500 North in Bearcreek Township.[[In-content Ad]]