Progress made in financing (01/26/2009)

Jay County Commissioners completed the financial pre-game in the jail expansion project this morning.

The commissioners signed an ordinance approving execution of a lease agreement for the Jay County Jail. After the tentative lease was approved by the Jay County Building Corporation last week, this was the final step to prepare the county to sell bonds to finance the jail expansion.

"It's kind of the last step until (the architects) are ready," said attorney Sue Beesley. "We're on hold until we have some bids and know how much we need to sell."

Beesley said she won't know what interest rate the county will be able to secure on the bonds until the amount needed is determined. In the meantime, everyone is hoping the bond market settles a bit since bond rates have lately been erratic.

"They're still jumping all over the place," Beesley said. She wants the design process to continue to move quickly so when the numbers are right they'll "be able to pull the trigger" on a good rate without holding up construction.

"You worry about the construction cost, but 30 to 40 percent of it is the rate you get," said SchenkelShultz architect Jeff Badders.

Badders said he hopes to have plans completed and ready to bid by mid-April, since it will take about a month after the bid date before bonds can be sold.

Badders said his design team is tackling "structural details" and is holding weekly updater meetings with the team to check the drawing progress. He said he will present the commissioners with building options in the coming weeks.

"I want you involved in all the process as we go along," he said. "We'll keep moving as fast as we can."

Badders presented the commissioners with the completed land survey this morning, which means commissioner Milo Miller Jr. will be able to appear at the next Portland City Council meeting to request the city vacates the alley which currently runs between the current jail and the expansion site.

The commissioners also received two quotes from Badders for removal of asbestos from the auto dealership, which will be demolished. The commissioners chose Environmental Technology Consulting Corporation for the job at a cost of $3,975. The firm will remove the ceiling panels from building and transport it to the Jay County Landfill.

Badders said other asbestos in the building, including some in the shingles and floor tiles, can be left for the demolition as long as the work crews take care not smash it into dust.

In other business this morning, the commissioners:

•Chose Dan Farber to begin work on a GPS cornerstone project throughout the county at a cost of $26,000. The initial work will include setting up the countywide network and integrating 130 cornerstones in Wayne Township into the system. Farber said the work will take one to two months to complete.

This would be the first phase is setting up a GPS cornerstone system for the 12 townships, a project which will cost about around $100,000 complete.

•Approved a drainage combination for Elvin Newhouse, 105 South Ind. 20, Pennville. The commissioners approved combining five separate parcels into one per acre assessment.

•Approved purchase of a new surveyor's vehicle from Moser Motors at a cost of $19,838.58. The quote was the lowest bid received for the vehicle.

•Reviewed certification presented by Jay County Surveyor Brad Daniels to resume collecting drainage assessments in 2009 for the following watersheds in which collections were not made in 2008: Collins, Greaf, Hiatt, Hotmire Redmond, Carder Creek, Dale Marsh, W.S. Manor, Ross and Days Creek, John Thornburg, Halfway, Hannah Rinker, Loblolly and Brooks Creeks.

•Signed a resolution approved an interlocal agreement between the county and the City of Dunkirk for shared control of the Dunkirk Fire and EMS Station. Attorney Bill Hinkle will present the agreement to the Jay County Council and Dunkirk City Council for approval.[[In-content Ad]]