JCCD pool crowded (7/6/05)

The search for Jay County’s second community developer drew more than a handful of interested applicants.

Two officials from Jay County Development Corporation said Tuesday there were a total of 23 applicants for the position, which became vacant with the resignation last month of Wayne Bailey, who was hired as the initial community developer in 2001.

Chuck Huffman, president of the JCDC Board of Directors, and Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of that agency, said they hope to hire a new community developer relatively soon.

“Our goal is to have somebody on board by the end of the month,” Quadrozzi said.

He said that a total of seven applicants will be interviewed in two sessions July 14 and July 21.

Members of the JCDC board approved a revised job description for the community developer position at Tuesday’s board meeting.

Key changes including placing the community developer under the direct supervision of the executive director and removing requirements that the community developer live in Jay County and have a four-year college degree.

The removal of the residency requirement sparked a brief discussion, with several board members at least hinting they were not pleased with the action taken by the JCDC executive committee.

“So if they give you a song and dance they can live outside the county?” asked Jay County Commissioner and board member Milo Miller Jr.

“We didn’t want to knock anybody out (with the requirement) ... We’d still prefer they live in the county,” Huffman said.

All 12 board members present voted to approve the job description, which lists 10 activities and duties. Sixth on that list is to “research and apply for grants essential for community development projects.”

Reacting largely to demand from several communities and organizations, as well as from elected officials hoping to take pressure off property taxes, much of Bailey’s time as community developer was spent on grants.

Huffman said when Bailey resigned it was likely that other duties — such as assisting with long-range planning, developing community leaders and volunteers, and promoting and developing ties between communities and organizations — would be emphasized in the search for a new developer.

Also Tuesday, the JCDC board approved a resolution of support for an attempt by the city of Portland to obtain a grant for an environmental assessment of a vacant industrial site at 215 S. Western Ave.

The plant, which was most recently the site of O’Cedar Vining and Standard Brush and Broom before that, is owned by Fred Leventhal LLC Limited. Leventhal was an officer in both O’Cedar Vining and Standard Brush and Broom.

Quadrozzi, who has marketed the building for several years, said he does not believe there are any environmental problems with the site, but that state officials, including the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, do not have sufficient documentation on hand about previous tests.

Portland plans to apply for a Brownfield Assessment Grant from the Indiana Development Finance Authority that would pay for Phase I environmental testing. The grant would also pay for a Phase II test, if necessary, and also for clean-up costs.

There is no local match requirement for the environmental assessment grants.

“We do have several people who are interested in that building,” Quadrozzi said.

Also Tuesday, Quadrozzi said that a food processor may be interested in locating in the Redkey Industrial Park, southwest of the town. Siting at that location would require acquiring additional land, as the company would need approximately 100 acres, Quadrozzi said. The Redkey Industrial Park is currently about 55 acres.

In other business, JCDC board members:

•Heard Quadrozzi report that he plans to present an updated strategic development plan for JCDC to Jay County Commissioners and the Jay County Council next week. The plan has been developed and reviewed by members of communities and rural residents throughout the county. JCDC’s five-year plan was last updated in 1998.

•Approved paying JCDC administrative assistant Jodi Scott for additional work she is doing on grant applications in the absence of a community developer — especially on a grant to fund rehabilitation of the former school in Salamonia.

Quadrozzi estimated that Scott will spend about 20 hours on the work. Board members told Quadrozzi to check if Scott should be paid overtime if her weekly work hours exceed 40.

•Heard board member Vicki Tague say that the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce has signs of support available for the upcoming UROC rock crawling event at XPLEX Extreme Competition Park on the north side of Portland.

The event, which will be held Friday and Saturday, will be taped by ESPN2 for broadcast at a later date. ESPN2 crews are expected to be in and around downtown Portland filming on Friday.[[In-content Ad]]