Surveyor considers combo

Jay County Surveyor Brad Daniels presented the county drainage board with his plan to combine 39 small watersheds into the Salamonie River watershed, which could mean changes in drainage assessments for several property owners.

Daniels presented the Jay County Commissioners in their capacity as drainage board with a listing of the 39 watersheds he'd like to combine into the Salamonie River watershed, which follows the course of the river through the county.

"All of these drain directly into the Salamonie or Butternut (Creek)," he said.

Daniels is seeking to combine them in order to make a more streamlined collection and to allow for more areas to get more work done.

Of those watersheds, 14 are currently in debt, and Daniels said he thinks there would be additional steps needed to get those added into the Salamonie watershed since it would have to absorb those individual debts.

Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. said the goal is a good one, but wasn't sure if they should go ahead with it because of the current economy since some people's assessments would increase to the Salamonie assessment rate of $1 per acre and $12.50 per plot.

"I don't know if it's the right time to do it," he said.

Of the 25 watersheds with a current positive balance, nine would see a decrease in all rates, three would see a decrease in one rate with no change in the other, three would see no change in either rate, two would see an increase in one rate and decrease in the other, three would see one rate increase and stay the same, and five would see an increase in both rates.

Daniels said the watersheds with a positive balance should be able to be combined without much difficulty. He wasn't certain of the process to move the ones with a negative balance.

"There's a lot more hoops you have to jump through for the ones in the red," he said.

Miller told Daniels to look into that process, since he felt it would make sense to move all 39 at the same time if possible.

"Get them out of the red," he said. "Bring them in and be done with it. It'll be their lucky day.

"That way we could get them all out (of debt) and put them all in at the same time," he added.

The 39 watersheds that may be combined include:

Abromson, Bolen, Burkey Hilton, Cartwright, WH Caster, Collins, Daugherty, DV Flesher, Freemyer, Geesman, Glenzter, Greaf, Griesinger, Grissell Mason, Hiat, WM Hodge, WH Hodge, WH Hood, P Houts, JJ Jaqua, JJ Jenkins, Jones, Dorsey Louck, Lupton, M Luteman, Maringo, Mast, Russell Briggs, I Scholer, S Scholer, G Simpson, ML Sommers, Stultz, H Taylor, O Taylor, H Walling, F Walters, Williamson and Two Mile.[[In-content Ad]]