Hearing date set for drainage hikes (10/24/05)

Residents of three watersheds in Jay County will have an opportunity to talk to the Jay County Drainage Board about proposed increased assessments during public hearings set for Tuesday, Nov. 8 at the Jay County Courthouse.

Hearings for the Hodge watershed will begin at 9:15 a.m.; the Flesher watershed at 9:30 a.m.; and the J.J. Jaqua watershed at 9:45 a.m.

The current rate in the Jaqua is $1 per acre and $12.50 per plot. The current assessment in the Hodge is $2 per acre and $20 per plot, while the rates in the Flesher Watershed are currently 67 cents per acre and $5.50 per plot.

Commissioners, acting as the county drainage board, are proposing new assessments of $3 an acre and $25 per plot for the Hodge, and $2 per acre and $20 per plot in the Jaqua and Flesher watersheds.

Increases are set to help those watersheds which have been running seriously in the red, commissioners have said.

Also Monday morning, commissioners discussed the replacement of a fence on an old cemetery located at the Jay County Retirement Center with Paul Pinkerton, president of the Jay County Cemetery Commission.

Pinkerton told commissioners Milo Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr he had priced the cost of placing a chain link fence around the small cemetery at $2,200 and that he could use money the cemetery commission would not be utilizing.

Miller said he would like to see an old iron fence that was originally put around the site to be refurbished and put back in place.

“I’d rather have the old fence,” Miller said, adding, “All you gotta do is sandblast it, paint it and stick it back in the ground. I’d be willing to let the county pay for it rather than the cemetery commission.”

“I’ll go with Milo on this one,” Theurer agreed about letting the county pick up the cost of the project.

Commissioners and Pinkerton discussed the possibility of putting the old iron fence back in place and surrounding it with a chain link fence to protect it from livestock that graze in the field.

Miller said he would discuss the project with center director, Rob Smith.

Pinkerton also told commissioners that work on five rural cemeteries — North Salem, Lutz, Zoar, and Steveson — has been completed this year.

Also today, commissioners agreed to replace the door at the Jay County Health Department in the courthouse annex at 504 W. Arch St.

Miller said an attempted break-in occurred at the office a couple of weeks ago and a window in the entry door was broken.

An estimate to replace the door was received from Quality Glass in Portland, for $2,100.[[In-content Ad]]