Committee is formed to address issues

Jay County Commissioner Faron Parr spoke to Portland City Council Monday about possible fixes for the flooding issues in the county and the city.
Parr told the council the commissioners had voted Monday morning to form a committee to look into a plan for addressing flooding. He said they are ready to send out a request for qualifications for an engineering company to take on the county’s flooding issue.
“I think this is a good first step,” council member Kent McClung said. “We need to approach this scientifically.”
Parr told council members he is hoping members of Portland’s government are willing to join the committee and asked Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman specifically to join. Geesaman quickly agreed and also suggested Dean Sanders, executive director of Jay County Chamber of Commerce.
A number of downtown business owners were in attendance at the meeting to hear the city’s plans to alleviate flooding. And one local business owner aired his complaints as well.
“You can’t have economic development … with flood water downtown,” said Steve Takats of Takats Insurance, before mentioning he agreed with McClung’s assessment of the commissioners’ plan.
“We’ve done some strange things (to fix flooding issues) in the past,” he said. “I say get an expert here and do it right.”?
City clerk-treasurer Mickey Scott — speaking as a resident and not a government official — asked Parr about the Jay County Fair Board’s plan to install new sewer lines.
“Is this something we should go ahead with?” she asked, questioning what effect it will have on the city’s flooding.
Parr said he believes the city should continue to help fund the project and that nobody really knows what it will do to the city’s flooding until it is complete.
“It’s economic development,” he said. “We can’t continue to let the fairgrounds flood.”
He also mentioned that this is only a short-term solution and that a long-term solution needs to be found, which is why the commissioners have decided to form the committee.
Council member Bill Gibson also addressed Scott's question, saying that the current set up causes a lift station near Jay County Historical Museum to back up, which adds to the city’s flooding. He said the fairgrounds project should help alleviate that problem, with Geesaman agreeing.
Geesaman also spoke about flooding issues during his mayor’s report, saying the city will what it can to help local businesses as well as residents. At 8 a.m. Wednesday, city employees — with help from inmates from Indiana Department of Correction — will begin the process of picking up contaminated sandbags throughout the city.
“We’ll definitely take the business people and what we can of the residential,” he said.
He also said the city would have a flood-debris pick up day for businesses on Thursday and a flood-debris pick up week for residents June 27 through 31.
Any questions should be directed to city hall at (260) 726-9395.
He also spoke about the effort to get funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“That process is going to last a long time,” he said, mentioning that the only immediate help available is from the Red Cross.
McClung mentioned that it is a good idea for residents, as well as business owners, to document damage and keep track of expenses in case grant money comes in to help people recoup their loses. Parr agreed with McClung, mentioning that residents should document the time they’ve spent working on flood-related problems as well.
In other business, council members Donald Gillespie, Michael Brewster, Mark Hedges, McClung and Gibson, absent Kip Robinette and Judy Aker:
•Heard Geesaman praise Pioneer Packaging for recently being recognized as an up-and-coming business in Indiana. He also mentioned that the Jay County Fairgrounds would play host to Goldwing’s annual event starting July 23.
Geesaman also praised the Chamber’s Stars in the Parks event.
“If you haven’t seen what we put on here … you’re missing out,” he said, before inviting Sanders to speak to the council about the event.
Sanders said the program has been a success and invited the council members to its second quarterfinal at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Sanders also said the chamber will be putting on a senior expo from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 22 at Jay Community Center.
•Reviewed the Tax Increment Financing report from the city’s redevelopment commission. The TIF fund gained $313,496.33 in 2014 while using $243,454.14. The fund’s balance was more than $1.2 million at the end of 2014.
•Approved an ordinance establishing a Federal Aviation Administration grant fund.
•Tabled an ordinance creating a retainage fund for Watson Excavating, which is doing work on the west side sewer project. The ordinance was tabled due to a typing error that needs to be corrected.
•Heard council comments from Gibson, who noted the good turnout at this year’s Vintage Motor Bike Show.