Wind work plans

The Jay County Commissioners and county engineer chatted this morning about the logistics involved in constructing a wind farm in the southern part of the county.
County engineer Dan Watson and the commissioners talked about the wind farm that has been explored by American Electric Power. The development is expected to take root mostly in the Pike Township area stretching south into Randolph County.
Watson said this morning that AEP is looking at bidders for the project and heard that a contractor should be selected by the end of this month, with an official announcement about the project expected by April 1. Watson told commissioners he does not expect to have specific information about what roads will be affected before August.
The heavy equipment needed to install the wind turbines will likely devastate county roads during the construction, although the county’s wind ordinance requires contractors to replace all roads in as good or better condition than their original condition. The county will also need to secure additional right-of-way on those roads to accommodate the construction.
Watson said a “big fear” is that he expects county road 800 South to be one of the main roads utilized during the turbine installations, since, for that area of the county, it has a relatively heavy amount of daily traffic.
Turbines likely won’t be up and running until mid-2012.
“The soonest construction will start will be spring of next year,” Watson said.
In other business this morning, the commissioners:
•Approved a drainage assessment combination for Rick and Anita Eglan, 3013 North 1100 West, Pennville. The request was to combine two parcels of bare land with a third parcel containing the couple’s home.
•Were updated by Jay County Surveyor Brad Daniels about which multiple-county watersheds will be collected, as well as Jay County watersheds which will not be assessed this year.
In Blackford County, the Brooks Creek assessment will be collected while the Shook will not be.
In Wells County, the Harris Braner and Loblolly watersheds will be assessed.
In Randolph County, the Carder Creek, Ross and Days Creek, Dale Marsh, John Thornburg, Halfway, Hannah Rinker and Hotmire Redmond watersheds will be collected, while the McFarland and W.S. Manor will not.
And in Jay County, the E. Edmundson, W.S. Manor, McFarland, E.A. Ross, A and J Wilson, Shook and Wagner watersheds assessments will not be collected.
•Approved write-offs for the Jay County Retirement Center totaling $15,396.44 for six residents no longer living at the center.
•Were informed by Jay County Emergency Management Agency director Ralph Frazee that the state should have snow emergency reimbursement funds available and that the county will request about $80,000 to cover overtime and additional costs.[[In-content Ad]]