Properties deeded to Dunkirk

Jay County Commissioners agreed Monday to deed seven more properties from the delinquent property tax list to the City of Dunkirk as part of an ongoing blight removal effort.

“We’ve got money to continue,” Dunkirk city councilman Jack Robbins told the commissioners.

Nine properties previously deeded to the city are now back on the tax rolls. Abandoned houses on those properties were razed, and the land was purchased by adjoining property owners.

Of the next seven, four have abandoned houses and one has an abandoned trailer. The other two are bare ground that needs to be cleaned up and made available for sale.

“You’re to be commended for your work on this,” said commissioner Doug Inman.

As part of the property transfer, the county forgives the delinquent taxes while the City of Dunkirk pays for title and legal work.

Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of four new cardiac monitors from Stryker at a cost of $129,809 as recommended by Jay Emergency Medical Service director Eric Moore.

Moore had earlier considered purchasing two reconditioned monitors and two new ones, but Stryker offered to accept payment over a three-year period at no interest, and that proved to be less expensive.

Commissioners also gave their stamp of approval to Moore’s plan to outsource JEMS billing to Accumed, though that move still requires action by the Jay County Council.

“Will Accumed be able to collect more than we’re collecting now?” asked commissioner Mike Leonhard.

Moore said he believed it would, noting that the company would work on a 6-percent commission, which provides an incentive to increase collections.

“I trust your judgment on this,” said Inman.

In other business, commissioners:

•Approved spending about $5,000 to cover half the cost of solving a communications problem among the county’s fire departments, JEMS and the emergency management agency.

•Agreed with some grumbling to purchase a new transmission for a Jay County Sheriff’s Office cruiser at a cost of $3,462.52. The 2014 Dodge has about 66,000 miles on it, and commissioners hoped that the work would be covered by the vehicle’s warranty. But because fluid had leaked from the transmission over a period of time, the manufacturer said it was not covered by the warranty.

•Were reminded of the Jay County Soil and Water Conservation District annual meeting and program on Feb. 22 in the 4-H Building at Jay County Fairgrounds. The speaker for the event will be Curt Burnette, the naturalist at Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva.

•Heard an update from Jay County community developer Ami Huffman on her efforts to find a source for a grant that could cover the cost of an elevator at the Jay County Retirement Center. Huffman said she’d learned such a project would not be eligible for funding from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Agency. She’s continuing to explore funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

•Heard concerns about heavy truck traffic on county road 50 North between roads 700 East and 800 East. Semi traffic from Ohio has damaged the road and is proving hazardous. “That road’s not built for that kind of weight,” resident David Kahlig told commissioners.

•Appointed Tom Laux of rural Bryant and Steve Ford of rural Dunkirk to four-year terms on Jay County Plan Commission. They’ll replace Paula Confer and Eric Pursifull.

•Approved an emergency claim of $40,084.04 for the final payment on a Case loader for the highway department. Because the purchase was financed through First Merchants Bank, commissioner Chuck Huffman, who is employed by First Merchants, abstained.

•Again urged department heads to provide more information in the drafting of capital improvement plans, including the ages of various computers and a replacement schedule.

•Approved spending $1,486 for window tinting at Jay County Jail as requested by Sheriff Dwane Ford.

•Noted that all three commissioners had been urged to attend a special Jay School Board meeting on Tuesday about the future of Pennville Elementary School.