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

New projects possible (6/2/04)

JCDC director tells of possibility of 100 to 150 new jobs

By By Mike [email protected]

In the world of economic development, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

But the executive director of Jay County Development Corporation told members of his board Tuesday that two possible industrial projects could create as many as 150 jobs in the next one to two years.

Robert Quadrozzi said he could not provide specifics, but said he was hopeful that the projects would happen. An announcement could be made in the next few weeks.

Quadrozzi also said Tuesday that several local companies were in the discussion stages of expansion projects, and that work continues on development of an extreme sports park by Qualtech Tool & Engineering co-owners Glynn and Julie Barber.

That proposed park would be located in the Portland Industrial Park, which surrounds Qualtech, Moser Engineering and Accelerated Curing Inc. on the north side of Portland.

Quadrozzi said that many details remain to be ironed out on the project, which in preliminary stages includes indoor and outdoor paintball areas, a motocross track, an oval racing track, a BMX bike track and other features.

Although there has been some opposition, the “feedback is ... move forward on the project,” Quadrozzi said.

Also Tuesday, board member and Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier said the city is in the investigative stages of two possible road improvement projects in the northwest portion of Portland.

Hosier said this morning that an extension of Lafayette Street to Industrial Park Drive is being considered, along with the possible widening of Industrial Park Drive to three lanes.

Westbound Lafayette Street currently ends at Creagor Avenue. Extending the street west past a new senior apartment complex and through a cornfield would make the first connecting street to Industrial Park Drive between Franklin Avenue and Votaw Street.

Hosier said the projects are being considered, in part, because of the possible construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter at the northwest corner of Votaw Street and Industrial Park Drive.

Hosier also said Tuesday that progress is being made on proposed street/sewer projects for Wayne Street/Boundary Pike and Lincoln Street (from Wayne Street to Franklin Avenue).

The Lincoln Street project will include new road, curbs, sidewalks and separation of storm and sanitary sewers, Hosier said.

Also Tuesday, members of the JCDC board approved slightly-increased budgets for the 2004-05 fiscal year for both JCDC and Jay County Community Development, which is under the JCDC umbrella.

The budget for JCDC for the coming fiscal year, which runs July 1-June 30, is $169,400 — an increase of about 1 percent over the current year total of $167,250. Quadrozzi said he expects to end this year with about 5 percent, or $8,000, remaining.

The budget for JCCD increased approximately 1.5 percent — up to $79,800 from the current $78,600.

Jay County community developer Wayne Bailey told board members Tuesday that he continues to keep busy assisting local communities and organizations with grant applications.

Some of those ongoing grant projects include a stormwater/sewer project in Bryant; a facility/utility grant for the Jay County Retirement Center; an energy efficiency effort for the Jay County Historical Society; the Weiler Building, which is planned to be the new home of John Jay Center for Learning; and a fire truck for Pennville.

In other business, JCDC board members:

•Learned from Quadrozzi that discussions are under way to find a shared location for JCDC, JCCD, Portland Area Chamber of Commerce and Jay County Tourism and Visitors Bureau.

Quadrozzi said that Barry Hudson, who owns a building across Meridian Street from the Portland office of the U.S. Postal Service, has proposed that building as a site.

Quadrozzi said that savings could possibly be realized on rent and that a large meeting/conference room would be available. No such room is available at JCDC’s current headquarters on East Main Street.

“There’s been no decision made one way or another,” Quadrozzi said.

•Re-appointed Barbara Street to a three-year term on the John Jay Center for Learning Board of Directors.

•Agreed to proceed with an update of JCDC’s strategic plan. The goal is to update the plan every five years. The last update, which was part of a countywide vision plan, was completed in 1998.

•Learned from Ryan Vannatter, a member of the Portland chamber, that the chamber will be offering a health insurance plan soon through the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

Businesses with two to 99 employees will be eligible for the plan, offered through Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Those businesses must be members of both the Portland and state chambers of commerce.

•Heard Dunkirk Councilman Dan Watson report that the Dunkirk Industrial Development Corporation is in the planning stages of constructing a 20,000-square foot spec building in the city’s industrial park.[[In-content Ad]]
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