July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Move underway to new center (5/3/05)

Three-fifths of occupants now in

By By Mike Snyder-

The effort to create a “one-stop shop” for community and business development is three-fifths complete.

Jay County Commissioners were told Monday that three of five entities have moved into a rehabilitated building on South Meridian Street in Portland that will be called the Community Resource Center.

Among those settled into the new location include the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce, Jay County Visitor and Tourism Bureau and Jay/Portland Building and Planning.

Sometime late this week, the offices of Jay County Development Corporation and Jay County Community Development will also be moved into the building at 118 S. Meridian St. Community development is a division of JCDC, although the office is fully funded by property tax dollars.

The building is owned by a group of investors called Jay Pride LLC, headed by local banker Barry Hudson. An extensive interior and exterior renovation was recently completed.

Bob Quadrozzi, executive director of JCDC, told Commissioners Faron Parr, Gary Theurer and Milo Miller Jr. that he was excited about the concept of having the five entities together.

Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said last week that he plans to ask the city council to purchase the building using economic development income tax funds. Before that happens, two appraisals will be required. The purchase price may not exceed the average of those two appraisals.

In a matter also related to the new location, the commissioners gave permission for Bill Milligan, director of building and planning, to add a line item to his budget for utility expenses in the department’s new location.

The expenses of the office are shared by the county and the city of Portland, but Milligan and an administrative assistant are county employees.

Theurer said Monday that if the city does purchase the building, he would propose that the county not be charged any rent for an amount of time comparable to the approximately four years the building and planning office was located in the courthouse.

During that span, the county did not charge the city rent.

In other business, the commissioners:

•Made Teresa Foster-Geesaman purchasing agent for four sets of box springs and mattresses for Jay Emergency Medical Service bases in Portland and Dunkirk. Foster-Geesaman is director of JEMS.

•Contacted the Indiana Department of Agriculture and Indiana Department of Environmental Management to request a meeting for input on proposed changes in local livestock regulations.

These recommended changes were submitted Monday by a local committee formed to study the issue.[[In-content Ad]]
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