County may leave planning district

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The jury is still out on Jay County’s continued participation in the East Central Indiana Regional Planning District.

Jay County Commissioners said Monday they want to speak with emergency management agency director Ralph Frazee about how the regional planning organization is involved with his grant-seeking efforts before making a decision.

The county’s participation is up for renewal at an annual cost of $6,336.

Bill Walters of the organization told commissioners Monday it plays a vital role in “setting the stage” for economic development. A comprehensive economic development strategy is being developed to incorporate plans put together on a local basis by Jay County Development Corporation.

“To get money you have to have a plan,” said Walters. He also touted the benefit of trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and bring them up to speed on the region’s needs. “Those trips are very valuable,” he said.

But commissioners Doug Inman and Chuck Huffman expressed skepticism later in Monday’s meeting. Commissioner Mike Leonhard, who recently had surgery, was absent.

“Most of the benefit seems to be for incorporated areas,” said Huffman.

“There’s a lot of overlap with what we already have people in place to do,” said Inman, noting the grant-writing work of community developer Ami Huffman, Frazee and county engineer Dan Watson.

They also noted that Blackford County had recently dropped out of the regional planning organization.

In other business, commissioners:

•Approved an ordinance amending the county personnel policy handbook to clarify bereavement leave. Under the revised policy, county full-time employees are eligible for up to three days with pay in the event of the death in his or her immediate family. Immediate family was defined as spouse, child, step-child, grandchild, step-grandchild, mother, step-mother, father, step-father, brother, step-brother, sister, step-sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law and daughter-in-law. The policy allows one day with pay in the event of the death of a grandparent, step-grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, step-aunt, uncle, step-uncle, niece, step-niece, nephew, step-nephew, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.

•Approved a sub-contract with Kroeker Consulting LLC to administer the latest Section 319 grant for the Upper Salamonie River Watershed. The grant, said Tim Kroeker, will provide incentives to encourage landowners to implement best practices in the watershed, leading to an improvement in the river’s water quality.

•Authorized hiring Guy Tressler Excavating to solve a water leak problem on the grounds of Jay County Retirement Center that has reduced water pressure significantly. Cost of the work will be $7,408.70.

•Reappointed Roger Locker to the board of trustees of Jay County Hospital for a four-year term.

•Encouraged Sheriff Dwane Ford to seek funding from Jay County Solid Waste Management District to pay for concrete pads beneath recycling trailers near the jail.

•Discussed plans to establish an internal controls oversight committee at their next meeting.

•Learned from Jay County Clerk Jon Eads that Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson will be on hand at 1 p.m. March 17 to honor Paulette Wagner, the county’s nominee for state poll worker of the year.