County targets plan (11/04/2008)

Several community organizations hope to make a better future for Jay County by planning how to get there.

Members of Jay County Development Corporation's board of directors discussed this morning a proposed countywide strategic development plan.

Also on board as partners in the project will be The Portland Foundation, Jay County Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Jay County.

United Way will serve as the fiscal agent in the process, making it eligible for grant funding from The Lilly Foundation.

"If you don't know where you want to be ... events could take you in a direction you may not want to go," JCDC executive director Bill Bradley told members of his board in kicking off discussion.

He summed up the process as "Where do you want to be in 10 years? And how do we get there?"

The concept has been approved by JCDC's executive committee said Bradley, who is hopeful a steering committee can be formed in the next several weeks.

A facilitator will be hired to guide the planning effort, and The Portland Foundation has pledged up to $5,000 in matching funds toward potential grants from Lilly.

Bradley, who has been at the helm of JCDC for a little more than a year, said that he's excited about a process that could take six months or more to wrap up.

"It's a very dynamic process and it's a very fun process for many people," said Bradley. "We don't know what issues will develop."

Asked for more details over how the planning might progress, Bradley deferred, saying there is no way to tell in advance. Bradley said his hope is to develop an unconventional map for the future and bring new ideas and thoughts into the community.

Also this morning, Bradley said that a renewable energy task force is being formed through JCDC and Jay County Community Development.

The group will attempt to lead efforts to develop local sources of renewable energy using methane, wind, ethanol and other alternative fuels.

Consisting of 13 to 15 members, the committee is expected to hold its first meeting before November.

Bradley also this morning offered information regarding the location selected by international gear maker Brevini to manufacture parts for wind-driven electrical generators.

The plant will be located in the Delaware County Park One Industrial Park near Yorktown, less than a half mile from Interstate 69.

Local leaders were criticized for not landing the Brevini project in a recent letter to the editor of The Commercial Review.

Bradley said the company was searching for locations in East Central Indiana in close proximity to an interstate, along with a major rail hub. Other finalists for the plant and design headquarters, which could employ up to 450, included locations in Anderson and Richmond.

Bradley did say that JCDC and other local officials are working hard to attract what he called "spin-off" companies related to the manufacture of wind turbine generators.

"We stand a very good chance ... at getting one of those spin-offs," he said.

Two companies are currently gathering data in southern Jay County with hopes of erecting wind "farms" that would use the wind to generate electricity.

In other business this morning, JCDC board members:

•Received an update on several projects from Bruce Hosier, Portland's mayor and a JCDC board member. Hosier said that the extension of water and sewer lines into Hudson Family Park is moving ahead, as is an effort to develop a path along the Salamonie River from Meridian Street into the park which is under construction.

•Heard Vickie Tague report that plans are underway for the county WinterFest celebration, which will be held Nov. 22-23.

Tague, executive director of the county chamber, also said that Pennville and Dunkirk are in the midst of a commercial building survey to provide data on space available for retail or commercial businesses.

Tague also noted that plans are in the works to add a page for each city and town in the county onto the chamber's web site.

•Were told by board member Jack Moore of Embarq that the U.S. Senate has delayed a vote on proposed changes in the way fees are imposed on communications companies by the Federal Communications Commission. Moore wrote a guest opinion for The Commercial Review that was published last week.

•Heard Bradley report that a renegotiation of an economic development income tax loan to GFT Corp., Pennville, has been completed. Bradley also said that talks continue with Omnicity Inc., a wireless high-speed Internet company which also received EDIT loan funds. Omnicity is hoping to offer stock and become a publicy-traded company, and changes may need to be made in the county's agreement with the company, which was in danger of defaulting on the loans before a deal was reached which pays the county royalties based on the number of customers in Jay County.

•Learned about an effort to develop a multi-modal transportation hub near Fort Wayne that could include truck and rail shipping options. Local companies are being surveyed to determine interest in using such a facility.[[In-content Ad]]A chance for Dunkirk residents to share their ideas about how to bring life to the city's downtown will be held Thursday.

The city, which received grant funding for the process, will hold a forum Thursday at 6 p.m. at West Jay Community Center to gather community input.

Ami Huffman, director, Jay County Community Development, talked about the meeting this morning.

Huffman also told members of the Jay County Development Corporation board of directors this morning that three focus group meetings on downtown Dunkirk were held last week.

In another Dunkirk-related matter, Huffman said that officials from Dunkirk are discussing pursuit of grant funding to repair or replace city water mains, as well as make updates to the city's water treatment plant.

Also this morning, Huffman said that progress on construction of a new ambulance base/fire station just outside Dunkirk continues on schedule.

She said that base, a joint effort between the county and city built with state grant funds, should be completed sometime in December.