County to pursue TIF (09/18/06)

Plans for Tax Increment Financing for the site of a Premier Ethanol LLC plant have move forward.

Jay County Commissioners today voted to establish a redevelopment commission to oversee creation of a TIF district, as well as oversee how the money gained from the funding process is used.

Commissioners met with members of the Jay County Council last Wednesday and those members expressed concern about a TIF.

While council members govern financial matters in the county, commissioners have the final say in naming a redevelopment commission and establishing the TIF, Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, explained to Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr.

Premier Ethanol has requested that the TIF be created to assist with providing infrastructure to its proposed plant near Ind. 67 southwest of Portland.

The funds are also expected to help the county provide sewer service to residents in a housing addition near the new plant.

The county has been ordered by the state to correct a problem caused in Foxfire addition due to failing septic systems that have leaked into a nearby creek and eventually flowed into the Salamonie River.

Councilman Jim Zimmerman, who was present at today's commissioners meeting as well, explained that he felt the council should have had more information concerning the TIF.

"If we'd have had more information, the meeting would have gone differently," he said.

"Premier has been a good company," Quadrozzi said about the TIF request. "We owe it to them to make a decision."

Commissioners had earlier discussed the possibility of using the city of Portland's redevelopment commission to save time and money, but decided against that consideration.

Instead, commissioners agreed to seek the legal advice of Sue A. Beesley, an attorney with Bingham-McHale LLP, Indianapolis, and Gregory T. Guerrettaz, a financial consultant with FSG Corp., Indianapolis, who guided Portland when it established a TIF district earlier this year.

Commissioners will be looking at five members to serve on the redevelopment commission with representatives by the commissioners and county council.

Also today, commissioners heard Dr. Stephen Myron, Jay County Health Officer, discuss at length manure management concerns in connection with large-scale livestock operations.

Commissioners are expected to adopt several new regulations regarding livestock operations on Monday, Sept. 25.

Myron said he and a group of other concerned residents recently questioned state officials intensely and checked records in Indianapolis concerning what rules and regulations are in place. Myron said this morning he was disappointed to learn that rules that are in place are not enforced.

"The state has not shut down one operation because of violations," he said.

"IDEM's (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) only focus is water quality," he continued, "IDEM has no rules about manure application other than protecting water quality."

Following his report about the findings, Myron recommended commissioners adopt four regulations concerning manure management:

•Increase manure setbacks from state regulations.

•No manure application on frozen or snow-covered ground.

•Adopt the rules for manure storage with treatment for beetles.

•No surface application unless it is incorporated into the soil within 24 hours.

Commissioner Theurer, who owns and operates a poultry CFO in southeastern Jay County, expressed concern about the frozen ground regulation.

"It's limiting our operation," he said. "I think it's asking for a lot of problems."

"These four recommendations, if implemented, would result in a better balance in all components of CFO's and CAFOs," Myron said.

Commissioners are also expected to approve recommendations next Monday that have been made by the Jay County Planning Commission.

Also today, commissioners approved the planning commission's recommendation to enter into an agreement with Ball State University's Office of Building Better Communities for the "Agriculture in Concert with Regional Economics" project.

Richard Heupel, who is employed in the Ball State office, told planning commission members Thursday night the plan could help ease residents' concerns and guide county officials concerning CFOs.

Commissioners also approved the planning commission's recommendation to rezone Redkey's Industrial Park from agriculture to industry, a move that had been overlooked when the property was purchased in 1992.[[In-content Ad]]