MyFarms gets $75,000

A stalled project is gaining some momentum.
MyFarms, a proposed Portland business last discussed publicly about six months ago, was given a $75,000 conditional economic development income tax (EDIT) grant by members of the Portland City Council.
MyFarms originator Chris Fennig will be granted $25,000 per year for the next three years. At the end of the three-year period, he must have 20 employees. If he doesn’t meet the employee threshold, the $75,000 will be considered a loan instead of a grant.
There will be interest on the loan and Fenning must re-pay funds based on each employee short of the goal of 20.
The amount for each employee will be determined later, Jay County Development Corporation executive director Bill Bradley said today. Fennig will use the EDIT money for both startup costs and matching funds in grant applications. He is pursing several grants, Bradley said.
The city’s EDIT advisory board met in February and voted to grant the business the funds. Fennig’s father, Steve Fenning, spoke for the project at that meeting.
Fennig said after Monday’s meeting that his web technology will interpret data for farmers. The data — which includes information about yields, weather, nutrients and soil — is collected by farming equipment.
He plans to locate the business in the John Jay Center for Learning, and hire seven employees this year, 15 next year and 20 in the third year. The employees will be paid $40,000 to $80,000 per year, he said.
Fennig plans to ask for an identical deal from the Jay County Council on Wednesday, Oct. 13.
In February, the Jay County EDIT Advisory Committee recommended that he be granted an additional $75,000 over a period of three years.
In other business Monday, council members learned that the city will begin applying a new liquid de-icer to city streets this winter.
A mixture of beet juice, salt and water will be sprayed onto city streets before winter storms approach, street and park department superintendent Jeff Harker told council members. The mixture will be brown and stick to tires. It should also stick to streets after they have been plowed, he said.
Harker said the beet juice mixture should reduce the amount of salt used by one-third and reduce overtime. The mixture will work to temperatures of 34 degrees below zero, he said. The city has already purchased a tank and a sprayer for the mixture.
“We’re hoping we’ll have good luck with it,” he said.
Also Monday, council members:
•Voted to close a portion of Hayes Street for the Museum of the Soldier’s annual chicken dinner and military vehicle show.
Hayes Street will be closed between East Arch and East Race streets on Oct. 16, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
•Voted to adjust the day that water is shut off for non-paying customers.
Water bills are due on the 10th day of every month. If the bill is not paid by the 25th of that month, the water is shut off. If the 25th falls on a Friday, then the resident must pay a $35 connection fee and a $35 after hours fee if they want their water turned back on during the weekend.
On Monday, council members voted to push back the disconnection date. If the 25th falls on a Friday and the water bill is not paid, the water will not be shut off until Monday. If Monday is a holiday, then the water will not be turned off until Tuesday. This way, residents will only have to pay the $35 connection fee to get their water turned back on.
•Approved an interlocal agreement between Portland and Redkey,
The agreement, which is being required by the state, says that any infractions, ordinance violations, etc. committed in Redkey will go before Portland City Court.
•Learned that next weekend will be the last city cleanup week of the year.
Oct. 11-15, the city will collect all large items, including furniture and appliances. Freon must be removed from all appliances and tagged as such. Oil, tires and hazardous materials will not be collected.
•Voted to set trick-or-treating in the city for Saturday, Oct. 30, from 5 to 8 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]