Foxfire sewage solution in works (01/24/06)

Plans for correcting a sewage problem in the Foxfire Addition southwest of Portland are still being developed, Jay County Commissioners learned Monday afternoon.

Wayne Bailey of Commonwealth Engineers Inc. updated Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr on plans he is considering to bring the addition in line with EPA requirements.

He said he would be coming back to them in the near future with a proposed plan.

Failing septic systems have been a concern there for more than a year and the county asked the state last year to be allowed to form a Regional Sewage District.

In November the county was notified that it had 180 days for the situation to be addressed.

Plans call for construction to begin sometime this spring, Bailey told commissioners.

Also Monday, commissioners approved a request to amend the economic development income tax capital improvement plan.

The change, which was presented by Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, will reduce the amount of EDIT money that industrial, commercial, retail and recreational developers will be allowed to borrow to $100,000 from $250,000.

Anyone who takes out such a loan must repay the funds within 90 days with interest. The amendment also limits developers to only one 90-day loan.

Quadrozzi said members of the Portland EDIT Advisory Committee decided to recommend the changes because they have grown uncomfortable with lending such large amounts of money over long periods of time.

“We will continue to honor commitments we’ve already made,” Quadrozzi said, “but we’re not in a second collateral position. We want to get out of long-term lending.”

He told commissioners the EDIT board would review the situation in September to see what affect the change has made.

In other business Monday morning, the commissioners wrote off $36,602 in uncollectable bills from former residents the Jay County Retirement Center.

Miller said some of those residents often move into nursing homes and leave without the balance of their bill to be paid.

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Teresa Foster-Geesaman, director of the Jay County Emergency Medical Services, told commissioners today that an ambulance the county recently purchased is in need of major repair.

She said the vehicle began losing power recently, and after examination by a mechanic, it was learned the vehicle has a defective piston and will need a new engine. Cost for the repair will be about $12,000 and will take about a week, she said.

With only 8,400 miles, the vehicle is still under warranty. “Everything’s covered,” she said about the cost.

Commissioners today also discussed the possibility of contracting with the Jay County Sheriff for an annual salary.

The sheriff’s position currently pays $41,864 annually, with the sheriff also collecting about $1.40 per prisoner out of the $3.41 per meal allotment mandated by the state. By law, the sheriff may be paid the difference between the state mandated amount and the amount actually spent on food.

Additionally, the sheriff is paid a percentage of all overdue taxes collected.

“We need to look at this before we build a new jail,” Burkett said

Commissioners agreed to study the situation and may consider contracting with the sheriff for a set annual salary.[[In-content Ad]]