Inman suggests added oversight

Departments and non-profits receiving county money may have to provide quarterly updates to the county commissioners about how it is being used.
Doug Inman suggested the plan for greater accountability at Monday’s Jay County Commissioners meeting, during which Redkey residents also voiced complaints about a ditch.
“Much like Governor Daniels did with the state a few years ago, people should have to submit a business plan for the upcoming year,” Inman said. “And then we’d have them come in quarterly to give us an update.”
He said a similar system is in place at the Portland Foundation, where he is the executive director.
Inman said he isn’t necessarily in favor of budget cuts for departments and non-profits that don’t meet all of their goals, but he does want to increase accountability.
Jim Zimmerman pointed out that budgets go through county council, not the commissioners.
“I know we’re not in charge of money like the council is, but I just think that we’re the layer of oversight,” Inman said. “I think there should be accountability back to us on expenditures.”
Several Redkey residents in attendance commented on the state of the ditch that crosses Harrison, Main and George streets in the Halfway Watershed.
“It’s in horrible shape,” said Mike Wright, a member of Redkey’s town council.
“I think this is a dirty shame,” another resident said. “If I lived down there, I don’t know what I’d do.”
A lot of work has been done on the ditch, but its surroundings make cleaning up difficult, said county surveyor Brad Daniels.
“When I go west of you guys, I have all those houses right on the ditch,” Daniels said.
Additionally, there’s a bridge with a pillar in the middle that catches debris. The bridge can’t be removed because of its connection to the Community Baptist Church.
“If they took the bridge out, they were going to disturb the foundation of the church, and then they decided not to do it,” Daniels said. “I was hoping they would because it would have been a big help, allowed that water to flow better.”
The commissioners were also reminded that the CAFO advisory committee will make its recommendations to the plan commission at a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Jay County Courthouse auditorium.