County will wait on city

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Jay County Commissioners declined Monday to help fund an Army Corps of Engineers study of ways to solve Portland’s flooding problems until Portland City Council votes on city support for the project.

The Portland Redevelopment Commission voted unanimously last week to commit $77,000 — half of the $154,000 local match required by the Corps — but the issue has never been taken to the city council for a vote.

Instead, Mayor Randy Geesaman approached commissioners this spring asking that the county provide the other $77,000 needed for the study to go forward.

“My opinion is it’s the city’s responsibility to pay for this,” said former commissioner Doug Inman, who resigned earlier this year when he moved out of the county.

He added that he told Geesaman in 2016 that county funding for the study was not going to happen, only to have the mayor revisit the issue with three new commissioners.

“And the city’s known this since 2016,” said Barry Hudson, who was selected by local Republicans to complete Inman’s term. “We would like to hear what the city’s going to do. … Why doesn’t the city fund it? You’re asking the county to fund a city project.”

“So the fact that the redevelopment commission voted to approve it … that’s not good enough?” responded Geesaman.

“We’re making no commitment,” said commissioner Chuck Huffman. “You haven’t asked the council.”

Geesaman will take the issue to the city council for a vote on Sept. 5. Commissioners will meet in special session following the city council meeting to take action.

An Aug. 31 deadline has been extended by the Corps of Engineers, Geesaman said Monday afternoon.

“To say the city is responsible is very disappointing,” the mayor said. “We’ve done $1.8 million in flood control projects since I’ve been in office. … I’m offended.”

He added, “ I took a lot of heat when the city partnered with the county on drainage issues at the fairgrounds. … I felt like we were in this together.”

Downtown property owners and business people expressed frustration with Monday’s stalemate.

“I’m frustrated with hearing, ‘It’s a city problem. It’s a county problem,’” said downtown property owner Sandy Bubp. “It’s everybody’s problem. … Let’s work together as a team and get something done.”

John Young, who has been at the forefront of getting the Army Corps of Engineers involved, agreed.

“It’s time we did something together,” said Young. “It’s very short-sighted to say it’s a city problem.”

“I agree with you we’ve got to work together,” responded Hudson. But he noted the study has been in the city’s lap since 2016.

“What we’re trying to say is, the city’s let you down, folks,” said Hudson. “I can’t believe all those city council people wouldn’t have voted to help you out. … You’ve waited until the very last week.”

“That water is a county problem,” said attorney Greg LeMaster, whose offices are close to the banks of the Salamonie. “We can’t just say that’s a city problem.”

Geesaman was adamant that a Corps study is central to finding a solution to flooding problems in Portland.

“They see our project as a high priority,” the mayor said. “They’re going to be part of any longterm solutions. … Their whole process involves a feasibility study. … If we don’t go through the process, we’re done.”

But a local engineering firm cautioned that the Corps approval process is lengthy and the costs of proposed solutions may be “astronomical.”

Ryan Lefeld of Choice One Engineering, Portland, also said that Millers Branch comes under the governance of the Corps as well, which would add another hurdle to other potential solutions that have been proposed.

“You’re looking at a pretty lengthy permit process,” said Lefeld, estimating it at two years or more.

Lefeld said his firm had reviewed the proposals by Butler, Fairman and Seufert in a study commissioned by the county and by the engineering firm of Jones and Henry, which had been hired by the city.

“There’s no silver bullet to this issue, no quick fix,” he said.

The Butler, Fairman and Seufert proposal to create an area to detain water north of the city would be complicated by the fact that Corps approval would be required.

The Harrison Street project developed by Jones and Henry is “a viable option,” said Lefeld, though he was skeptical of the proposal to have a pumping system involved. And, he cautioned, “It’s not going to be the end game.”

He did, however, support using the Corps.

“They’re the end game,” he said.

Permanent solutions explored in the Corps’ 1958 study — levees and reservoirs — were rejected at the time as too costly and are likely to be unaffordable today as well, Lefeld said.

County surveyor Brad Daniels came under fire for not giving Salamonie River maintenance higher priority.

“We’re starting today,” said Daniels, noting that work on the river is limited to restoring banks and removing sandbars and logjams. Beyond the section that runs through Portland, work is limited simply to removing logjams.

“For me to go out and clear cut the river, I can’t do that,” he said.

This year, the surveyor’s office will focus on the part of the river between the old Norfolk and Southern Railroad trestle and the area around the Wayne Street bridge. Next year, the focus will be on that part of the river between Seventh Street and the point where the Little Salamonie River joins the Salamonie as a tributary.

“Can you put the Salamonie River as the number one priority?” asked businessman Randy Fisher. “Somebody’s got to be accountable.”

“I’m getting it done right now,” said Daniels. “I’m sorry it didn’t get done sooner. … I hoped to get it done earlier.”

Asked about logjams, Daniels said they’re being addressed as they’re reported, although sometimes it’s necessary to wait until crops are out of the field.

“If you see a logjam, just go to the surveyor’s office and report it, and they’ll take care of it,” said commissioner Mike Leonhard.

In other business, commissioners:

•Heard progress reports from executive director Bill Bradley of Jay County Development Corporation and community developer Ami Huffman.

•Approved the purchase of a new server for the recorder’s office which also acts as the county’s domain server and email server. The cost will be up to $50,000 and will come from the recorder’s perpetuation fund, which is dedicated to the preservation of records.

•Reviewed a service contract proposal for heating, ventilation and air conditioning at Jay County Jail from BTS of Fort Wayne.

•Agreed to pay Havel, the current HVAC company, $29,124 for repairs and $6,375 as the quarterly installment on a service contract.