Assistance approval

More help will soon be available for local veterans.
Jay County Council on Wednesday approved the creation of a new part-time position in the veterans’ affairs office. The 15-hour-per-week position will be paid for out of the rainy day fund at an estimated cost of $5,000 for the remainder of 2016.
Council also approved hiring a part-time employee for water testing at Jay County Retirement Center.
Jay County veterans’ service officer Cliff Moser presented the request for part-time help to council, explaining he’s already working more than the 18 hours per week he’s allotted and can still not keep up with the needs of the county’s former service men and women. Ideally his job would be full time, he said, and he would have part-time assistance.
“I need help,” he said. “That’s just the bottom line.”
Moser presented council with a fact sheet showing the increase in demand his office has seen recently.
The number of visits totaled 1,613 in 2015, which was an increase of nearly 70 percent from the previous year. To try to keep pace, Moser worked 1,234 hours (24 per week).
Despite that extra effort, he said he still has stacks of paperwork in his office that need attention.
“I can’t keep up with the number of veterans that are coming into the office,” he said, noting that word of mouth is his only advertising.
Moser told council members Mike Leonhard, Gary Theurer, Jeanne Houchins, Ted Champ, Bob Vance, Mike Rockwell and Cindy Newton most veterans who are new to his office didn’t know help was available for them. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to gather their initial information to get the process started, he said.
Data provided by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs shows Jay County veterans received $3.2 million in benefits in 2013 and $3.5 million in 2014. Numbers for last year won’t be available until June, but Moser said he expects the total to surpass the $4 million mark.
Responding to a question from Houchins, Moser said he works mostly with veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War but that he is beginning to see more from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We can’t turn our backs on the veterans,” said Champ. “So many veterans put their lives on the line. And they come home and they’re mistreated by people. And I do not want to be a part of that.”
“I’m like Ted. I’m not going to turn my back on our veterans,” added Theurer. “I totally appreciate everything they do. I didn’t go to the service, but I’ve got the utmost respect for Mike (Leonhard) and anybody who does it.”
While the position, which was approved 7-0, is being paid for from the rainy day fund this year, council plans to move it to the general fund budget in 2017.
Newton also suggested that when budget time rolls around this year, Moser’s pay should be increased to reflect the number of hours he has been working.
“It’s always been part-time and obviously that’s not enough,” agreed Houchins.
Rockwell asked about the possibility of applying for grants for the office.
The state’s office of veterans’ affairs is tapped out, Moser said, but added that he will check with Ami Huffman, director of community development for Jay County Development Corporation, about any federal grants that might be available.
Council members also approved hiring Matt Corwin to handle water testing at the retirement center. Former environmental officer Dave Houck, who has since retired from his position with Jay County Health Department, previously did the work. No one on the current staff is certified to handle the testing.
Corwin, who also handles water testing for the towns of Redkey and Pennville, will be paid a flat rate but needed to be classified as a part-time employee in order to be covered by the county’s liability insurance. The position will be paid out of the health department’s budget.
Houchins suggested someone on the county payroll become certified in order to be able to do the testing in 2017 and the part-time position can be eliminated.
In other business, the council:
•Reappointed Ron Dashler and Pat Gibson to the property tax assessment board of appeals.
•Approved the following additional appropriations: $29,298.66 to the highway department’s truck and tractor repair fund, $17,800 to the watershed fund, $13,681 to Jay Superior Court’s contractual services fund and $2,500 for the Jay County Bicentennial Committee.
•OK’d transfers to the local option income tax certified shares insurance, building, liability and vehicle fund of $9,194 from the LOIT certified share worker’s compensation fund and $5,000 from the LOIT certified shares group health fund.
•Approved transferring $1,178 left over in the Jay County Building and Planning personal services fund to be used for training for director John Hemmelgarn.