Commissioners discuss flood agenda

An agenda is being developed for a meeting next week focusing on downtown Portland’s flooding problems.
Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman met with Jay County Commissioners on Monday and noted the Army Corps of Engineers will have representatives at the 6 p.m. May 24 public meeting at Arts Place, 131 E. Walnut St., Portland.
A representative of Butler, Fairman and Seufert, an engineering firm hired by the commissioners to study potential flood control solutions, will also be at Tuesday’s meeting, along with an engineering firm that has been hired by the city to study the issue.
Commissioners agreed to have a forest specialist walk the wooded area owned by the county south of the county highway garage to see if there is any timber that could be harvested. Proceeds from any timber sale could be used to fund repairs at the Jay County Retirement Center.
The condition of the large, 19th-century barn at the retirement center has been a concern for the commissioners for some time, and all three have said they want to make sure the barn is preserved and properly maintained.
In other business, commissioners:
•Heard Jay County Building and Planning director John Hemmelgarn say that in the future he will be requiring detailed plans during the “intent to build” phase for any new construction project in the county. Concerns have been raised this spring about the scope of a planned confined feeding operation in Jackson Township and whether the county has enough details on the project. Hemmelgarn said the new procedure will apply to all new construction, not just confined feeding operations.
•Heard an update from Arts Place executive director Eric Rogers on the summer Arts in the Parks program, which receives some financial support from the county. Commissioners suggested that Arts Place approach the City of Portland for matching support.
•Suggested that county surveyor Brad Daniels and highway superintendent Ken Wellman visit the site of proposed ditch improvements near the Jay County Landfill in order to get a better understanding of the scope of work that the landfill operators are proposing.