Commissioners set leadership, positions

With two new members, Jay County Commissioners have new leadership and may soon add more structure to their meetings. 

Commissioners on Tuesday appointed Doug Inman as their new president. New South District commissioner Chuck Huffman will serve as vice president and Mike Leonhard, the new North District member, will serve as president of the county drainage board. Inman will be vice president of drainage board. 

Inman will continue to serve as a member of the county budget, personnel and road committees. He was also appointed on Tuesday to the Jay County Chamber of Commerce Board and Jay County Development Corporation executive committee. 

Huffman was appointed to the Wabash River Heritage Commission and Jay/Portland Building and Planning Board, while Leonhard will serve on the plan commission and local emergency planning council. 

The appointments were made by Inman and Huffman. Leonhard was absent from Monday’s meeting because of a doctor’s appointment. 

Near the end of Monday’s meeting, Inman said he’d like to see more of a structure to commissioners meeting with appointed department heads and receiving reports from them.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the elected officials come in. If they go to a conference, give us a report, here’s what we learned, here’s how it’s going to help the county, what I learned at this conference kind of thing,” Inman added. 

Huffman said scheduled department head meetings would be helpful, especially to let commissioners know when changes are coming down the road in terms of how the departments operate or do business. 

Meanwhile, commissioners spoke with Dan Watson about the intersection of Boundary Pike and 300 South, which was the location of a fatal traffic collision in December. 

Inman said he met with Watson a few days following the accident about improving safety at the intersection. Watson said Tuesday he is looking at some different options to improve the intersection. 

“Like I said, the last resort would be a four-way stop,” said Watson, adding that the solution may be some sort of flashing warning signs on Boundary Pike. 

Another possibility discussed was installing flashing stop signs on county road 300 South, similar to the ones installed on county 200 South at its intersections with Boundary Pike and county road 200 West last year. Watson’s said the flashing signs cost about $1,500 each. 

Inman said he wouldn’t be opposed to considering a four-way stop at the intersection.

“Just because it’s dangerous, but at the least, it would be great if we could put up flashing stop signs on 300 South, both directions,” he said.  

Commissioners plan to discuss the topic with Watson again in two weeks. 

In other business, commissioners Huffman and Inman:

•Approved two claims for Jay Emergency Medical Service and Jay County Emergency Management Agency.  

•Appointed Terry Hanks to the alcohol beverage commission, Paula Confer to the Jay County Cemetery Association Board, Jim Bruner to the Community and Family Services Board and Blake Watson to Jay County Convention and Tourism Bureau Board.