Grant sought for security (09/12/06)

As security is enhanced throughout the country, Jay County's Courthouse may be getting some added security protection as well.

Ralph Frazee, director of Jay County Emergency Management, told Jay County Commissioners Monday afternoon that he plans to apply for a $50,000 grant from Indiana Homeland Security for the purchase of security equipment.

While county officials have periodically discussed securing the courthouse, Frazee said Monday that money for such safety equipment has not been made available until now.

The grant would allow the county to purchase wands and a walk-through metal detector, and digital cameras inside the courthouse.

The equipment will be portable, Frazee explained, and may be used at the entrances to the courtrooms in high profile cases.

Current plans do not call for permanently locating the equipment at the entrances of the courthouse, he added.

Additionally Monday, Ami Davidson, Jay County Community Developer, updated Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer and Faron Parr on the progress on a proposed new fire station/Jay Emergency Medical Service (JEMS) base in Dunkirk. The commissioners have agreed to serve as the grant applicant for the project, but at least one commissioner expressed some reservations Monday.

"I don't like the way this is all going down," said commissioner Gary Theurer who was also appointed to the project's advisory board to represent the commissioners.

"The only reason we're involved is JEMS," Miller has said in the past.

The commissioners have agreed to ask the Jay County Council Wednesday for a $50,000 additional appropriation that would serve as the match for a $500,000 state grant.

Davidson said Monday there "are a couple of things to work out."

Since the county is serving as the primary applicant the grant, Davidson said it would be necessary for the county to own the building for a period of five to seven years to meet the grant requirements.

The county is serving as the grant applicant since Dunkirk is not eligible because the Quincy Place project has not been completed.

Monday evening, a public hearing regarding the grant request was held in Dunkirk, and the Dunkirk Council later agreed to apply for the grant with the intention of relocating the fire station and JEMS to the industrial park.

"If we don't get the grant we'll continue on as now," said Teresa Foster-Geesaman, executive director of JEMS about the current site in Dunkirk.

Commissioners will be asking the Jay County Council to approve a $50,000 additional appropriation to provide its portion of the matching grant. The council will meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the commissioner's room in the courthouse.

That money will also include $19,500 for engineering fees, Davidson explained to commissioners earlier.

The fire department/JEMS application is expected to be submitted Sept. 22, Davidson said.

Plans call for constructing a 126-foot-by-67-foot, 8,442-square foot building on a piece of land currently owned by the Dunkirk Economic Development Corporation in Dunkirk's Industrial Park. A major portion of the building would be used to house the fire departments trucks and equipment while a smaller part of the building would be used to store the JEMS ambulance, Davidson explained. The two departments would share a living space and radio room.

"It's going to be a bare bones building," she said.

"I see a good opportunity here," Davidson said about the proposed construction, "but there's a lot to be worked out and it makes me nervous."[[In-content Ad]]