July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JCCD post discussed (6/6/05)
JCDC officers talk with Jay Co. Commissioners
By By Mike Snyder-
With the search for a new community developer already under way, two officers from a local economic development board updated Jay County Commissioners on the process.
And the discussion illustrated some of the issues that may have helped lead to the resignation last week of Wayne Bailey, who had served nearly five years as the county’s first and only community developer.
“The main thing is we would ask for your continued support for the (community developer) program,” Chuck Huffman, president of the Jay County Development Corporation Board of Directors, said to Commissioners Faron Parr, Milo Miller Jr. and Gary Theurer.
Huffman and JCDC vice president Pat Bennett said this morning they are hopeful a new community developer can be hired by mid-July to replace Bailey, who resigned last week. In his letter of resignation, Bailey referred to conflicts with JCDC executive director Bob Quadrozzi and concerns about the position answering to too many “bosses.”
That concern was highlighted in this morning’s discussion, as all three commissioners provided input or suggestions on their vision of the community developer position.
“We need to keep going with it. We need to have somebody step in and follow up these grants,” said Miller, who said he believed the person hired should be a certified grant writer.
Theurer said members of the public suggested to him over the weekend that perhaps the position of JCDC executive director and community developer should be combined. “They felt like it was time to clean house and get one person to fill both jobs,” Theurer said.
Huffman said he believed the workload would be too heavy for one person.
Parr, who according to Bailey’s letter of resignation was involved in several discussions with JCDC board members about the community developer position, suggested that some of the funds received for successful grant applications be dedicated toward offsetting the county’s annual funding of the community developer position.
“As a board, we need to make sure we’re on the same page ... with our funding sources,” Bennett said. “We need to more clearly define the role of a community developer ... our recent experience tells us we need to do a better job.”
The position of community developer, which evolved from a suggestion in a JCDC strategic development plan in 1998 for a countywide chamber of commerce, has focused largely on grant-writing since Bailey was hired in August of 2000.
“We’ll be taking a look at the job description ... We’ll be emphasizing things other than the grant writing,” Huffman said today. Huffman added that although Bailey’s main focus has been grant requests, that process has in turn led to completion of other goals — such as bringing communities together and developing community leaders.
Bennett suggested that the job description for the community developer might need to be amended to more clearly outline the position’s duties and responsibilities.
Former Commissioner Mike Leonhard, who was not present during the discussion with Huffman and Bennett, told Parr, Theurer and Miller that “Wayne Bailey done a good job. I’m not very good with words, but the way I look at it, the JCDC board slapped the commissioners and council in the face.”
Leonhard suggested that because the county funds the position, the conflicts should not have been allowed to escalate to the point of Bailey’s resignation.
In other business this morning, the commissioners:
•Agreed to renew a lease-purchase agreement for the Jay Emergency Medical Service base on the grounds of Jay County Hospital. The county has paid $6,000 in annual lease payments to the hospital for the past 10 years, with no interest charged.
The balance on the building is $74,254, meaning there will be a payoff amount of $14,000 when the new lease expires in 10 years.
•Signed a letter of intent for a grant request by LifeStream Services Inc. for The New InterUrban. Jay County serves as fiscal agent for the public transportation system that serves Jay, Randolph, Delaware and Blackford counties.
LifeStream is requesting $368,781 in grants from the Indiana Department of Transportation to run the program in 2006.[[In-content Ad]]
And the discussion illustrated some of the issues that may have helped lead to the resignation last week of Wayne Bailey, who had served nearly five years as the county’s first and only community developer.
“The main thing is we would ask for your continued support for the (community developer) program,” Chuck Huffman, president of the Jay County Development Corporation Board of Directors, said to Commissioners Faron Parr, Milo Miller Jr. and Gary Theurer.
Huffman and JCDC vice president Pat Bennett said this morning they are hopeful a new community developer can be hired by mid-July to replace Bailey, who resigned last week. In his letter of resignation, Bailey referred to conflicts with JCDC executive director Bob Quadrozzi and concerns about the position answering to too many “bosses.”
That concern was highlighted in this morning’s discussion, as all three commissioners provided input or suggestions on their vision of the community developer position.
“We need to keep going with it. We need to have somebody step in and follow up these grants,” said Miller, who said he believed the person hired should be a certified grant writer.
Theurer said members of the public suggested to him over the weekend that perhaps the position of JCDC executive director and community developer should be combined. “They felt like it was time to clean house and get one person to fill both jobs,” Theurer said.
Huffman said he believed the workload would be too heavy for one person.
Parr, who according to Bailey’s letter of resignation was involved in several discussions with JCDC board members about the community developer position, suggested that some of the funds received for successful grant applications be dedicated toward offsetting the county’s annual funding of the community developer position.
“As a board, we need to make sure we’re on the same page ... with our funding sources,” Bennett said. “We need to more clearly define the role of a community developer ... our recent experience tells us we need to do a better job.”
The position of community developer, which evolved from a suggestion in a JCDC strategic development plan in 1998 for a countywide chamber of commerce, has focused largely on grant-writing since Bailey was hired in August of 2000.
“We’ll be taking a look at the job description ... We’ll be emphasizing things other than the grant writing,” Huffman said today. Huffman added that although Bailey’s main focus has been grant requests, that process has in turn led to completion of other goals — such as bringing communities together and developing community leaders.
Bennett suggested that the job description for the community developer might need to be amended to more clearly outline the position’s duties and responsibilities.
Former Commissioner Mike Leonhard, who was not present during the discussion with Huffman and Bennett, told Parr, Theurer and Miller that “Wayne Bailey done a good job. I’m not very good with words, but the way I look at it, the JCDC board slapped the commissioners and council in the face.”
Leonhard suggested that because the county funds the position, the conflicts should not have been allowed to escalate to the point of Bailey’s resignation.
In other business this morning, the commissioners:
•Agreed to renew a lease-purchase agreement for the Jay Emergency Medical Service base on the grounds of Jay County Hospital. The county has paid $6,000 in annual lease payments to the hospital for the past 10 years, with no interest charged.
The balance on the building is $74,254, meaning there will be a payoff amount of $14,000 when the new lease expires in 10 years.
•Signed a letter of intent for a grant request by LifeStream Services Inc. for The New InterUrban. Jay County serves as fiscal agent for the public transportation system that serves Jay, Randolph, Delaware and Blackford counties.
LifeStream is requesting $368,781 in grants from the Indiana Department of Transportation to run the program in 2006.[[In-content Ad]]
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