July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

County to pay back $ (03/14/06)

Jay County Commissioners

By By MARY ANN LEWIS-

The county must refund Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) $7,950.40 that it did not use for cleanup following the January 2005 ice storm.

Jay County Commissioners Monday afternoon heard Ralph Frazee, Jay County Emergency Management director, say federal officials are requesting the refund.

“We couldn’t prove we did any more work,” Frazee said about the county’s total grant of $87,782.

“I’m glad to give it back,” commissioner Milo Miller Jr., said, “I’m glad they gave us money to do it. If we want any more grants, we gotta stay in good with them.”

Commissioners Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr questioned Frazee about a tornado warning siren that was to be placed on the roof of the courthouse after the Portland Fire Station was moved north of town and the siren located on a tower at the former station across from the courthouse was deactivated.

“The city has not elected to put it up and I haven’t got the grant money to put it up,” Frazee said. “We have a call down line in my office (to notify courthouse workers of a possible emergency).”

“Maybe the city will use TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money to buy one,” Theurer said sarcastically.

“I’m waiting on grant money to get it,” Frazee said. “I don’t have funding for it.”

Additionally Monday afternoon, commissioners agreed to seek cost estimates for work on the two domes on the roof of the courthouse.

Superintendent Roger McBride explained the dome on the north side has leaked during heavy rains for about two years and he has to place buckets in Jay Circuit Court to catch the dripping water.

He said work will include fixing the horizontal metal covers and recaulking the exterior of the unit.

“Some of the caulk places are as big as your finger,” McBride said of the areas that need repair.

The domes are constructed over the elaborate stained glass domes to protect them.

Commissioners discussed with McBride the county-owned building at Main and Ship streets, which the county purchased several years ago as a possible site for the expansion of the Jay County jail.

The building is now occupied only in the front, leaving the rear of the building empty since Hanni Plumbing moved its business to Portland’s north side.

Miller said there were three parties interested in renting the space.

“We’ll have to put it up for auction,” Miller said, “and rent it to the highest bidder.”

Commissioners Monday also heard assessor, Anita Mills, explain that Manatron will be charging the county about $20,000 to re-train the five workers in her office on new computer software.

“It’s going to cost us $20,000 for them to do their job,” Theurer said.

“I don’t like it when they dictate to ya,” Miller said.

The new software will replace software that does not meet the state’s requirements on how personal property assessment is figured.

The software issue has been one of concern in both the assessor and auditor’s office since former software provider, Plexis, was purchased by Manatron which does not provide the state compliant software. Another program is purchased from a different provider, but Manatron provides the training.

Commissioners Monday also discussed the possibility of hiring a part-time information technician for the courthouse computer systems.

Miller said the various offices in the courthouse use eight individual computer programs and if there’s a problem, it may take a few days before a software provider technician is able to travel to Portland to address the problem.

One of the options was training a courthouse employee who would be available at any time.[[In-content Ad]]
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