Inman requests agenda, reports

New Jay County Commissioner Doug Inman didn’t waste any time making his presence felt Monday.
Inman urged his fellow commissioners to adopt a formal agenda, asked new Jay County Auditor Anna Culy to provide the commissioners with monthly financial reports and questioned the current meeting schedule.
Currently the commissioners, who have never worked from a formal agenda, meet on Monday mornings from 9 a.m. to mid-day, making themselves available for whoever might drop in with concerns.
“I’m not saying we should shut that down, because that’s important,” said Inman. “I think it makes good sense to have an agenda.”
Culy noted that the lack of an agenda reflects the nature of issues that come before the commissioners. “Sometimes there’s something that pops up on Monday,” she said.
“What I would like to see is anyone who comes to us for money (including non-profit organizations) … I’d like to see those guys in here quarterly,” said Inman. “I’d like them to present us with some goals and give us an update.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” said commissioner Jim Zimmerman, adding, “They’re good ideas.”
Culy said she’d be happy to email monthly financial reports to the commissioners as she does for members of the Jay County Council.
“I know we’re not the fiscal body,” said Inman, “but I’d like to get a good feel for things.”
He added, “Is it the best use of our time to meet four times a month? How effective or efficient are we?”
Culy noted that in some counties the commissioners meet less frequently.

Every other week, the commissioners also convene as the county drainage board to focus on specific matters with Jay County Surveyor Brad Daniels.
Commissioners and new Sheriff Dwane Ford reviewed quotes from six automotive dealerships for a new county police cruiser and a new SUV for the department. Ford said he might recommend two SUVs rather than a cruiser and was told that the funds are available in his 2015 budget if he chooses to go in that direction.
Quotes were received from Hidy Motors of Bluffton, Fincannon Ford of Hartford City, Kelly Chevrolet of Fort Wayne, Fletcher Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep of Franklin, Moser Motors of Berne and Bloomington Ford. They were taken under advisement, and Ford plans to make a recommendation at the next commissioners’ meeting.
In other business, commissioners:
•Elected Faron Parr as president of the board of commissioners and Zimmerman as vice president.
•Reappointed Jay King to the local alcoholic beverage control board, Ralph Frazee and Phil Ford to the regional sewer district board, Janet Horn and Rebecca Stafford to the Pennville Library board, Zimmerman to the county plan commission and Blake Watson to the county tourism board.
•Appointed Inman to the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission and Parr to WorkOne Local Elected Officials Executive Council.
•Reappointed all current county department heads.