Watershed combination proposed

The effort to combine several watersheds into the Salamonie River watershed took its first steps this morning as the commissioners set a hearing for late April.

Jay County surveyor Brad Daniels presented commissioners Jim Zimmerman and Faron Parr with a list of 14 watersheds to combine into the Salamonie. Daniels wants to bring 39 smaller watersheds around the river into the Salamonie at its assessment of $1 per acre and $12.50 per plot.

Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. was absent from this morning's meeting as he is on a trip to Washington D.C., meeting with Indiana representatives and senators.

"Some of them are going to go down and some are going to stay the same," Daniels said of the initial 14 proposed. "That's why I thought this would be pretty agreeable."

Since none of the 14 watersheds would see an increase in assessments, Daniels said he felt it "would be a place to start" and would likely see little controversy.

The commissioners set a date of April 26 for the hearing to combine the watersheds. Commissioners' attorney George Lopez said one hearing can be held to consider all the combinations.

Watersheds affected by the change include: Abromson, Bolen, Burkey Hilton, Daugherty, Freemyer, Glentzer, P. Houts, Dorsey Louch, Russell Briggs, Iris Scholer, Stultz, H. Taylor, Walling and F. Walters.

Daniels said he hopes that all of the combinations will be completed by next tax season.

In other business this morning, the commissioners:

•Heard a complaint about sewage on the ground north of Portland near Oakwood Mobile Home Park. Daniels and Jay County Health Department environmental officer Dave Houck will look into the issue.

•Signed a contract with Jutte Excavating to replace Bridge 604 in Redkey at a cost of $312,103.06, which was the low bid received for the project. County engineer Dan Watson said the replacement likely won't be started until late this year.

•Made Sheriff Ray Newton purchasing agent to buy radio and computer equipment with a $4,000 grant received from the Department of Homeland Security.

•Signed emergency claims of $10,810 to Canyon Falls, Muncie, for a copier for the auditor's office and $21 to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.[[In-content Ad]]