County seeks consensus

County officials want to formulate consensus in order to decide how to resolve an ongoing drainage issue.
Jay County Commissioners, acting as the county drainage board, instructed several county officials to meet with the owners of property located near county road 600 West and county road 700 South. They hope to come up with a solution to an ongoing issue of water draining from farmland owned by Cy Schwieterman Inc. onto Dan Levy’s property.
Surveyor Brad Daniels, county engineer Dan Watson, county highway superintendent Ken Wellman, commissioners’ attorney Bill Hinkle and commissioner Doug Inman will be meeting with the property owners.
“I think we all need to be there so we’re all out there hearing the same thing at the same time so nothing gets lost in the translation,” said Inman.
Commissioners Jim Zimmerman, Faron Parr and Inman also weighed several options at their meeting Monday to correct the drainage issue. They included restricting the flow of the drainage pipe, rerouting water into tiles and removing the pipe.

In addition to finding a solution to the drainage issue, commissioners must avoid the possibility of litigation from either party with any proposed fixes.
The issue is the result of contouring done on Schwieterman’s land in early January, as well as the installation of a 30-inch drainage pipe connecting the two properties. Wellman authorized the work at the time, but the county drainage board, which should have been consulted beforehand, did not approve the changes.
In other business, county commissioners:
•Approved ordinance 2015-2, which will allow tax payments to the treasurer via credit card.
•Heard an update on Jay County Chamber of Commerce from executive director Dean Sanders. The update included a presentation outlining the purposes of the chamber as well as what percentage of money spent in the county stays in the area.
•Approved the annual financial report for the county highway department, which was presented by Watson.
•Agreed to start the process of sale of a vacant lot to the city of Portland. It is located at 903 E. North St., and the commissioners made the decision after a request from Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman.
•Established a daily rate of $38 for rent at Jay County Retirement Center so a new resident could be approved for Medicaid.
•Spoke to Jay County Sheriff Dwane Ford, making him aware of reported speeding issues on Indiana 26 leading to the Ohio border.  Excessive trash along the road was also brought to his attention.