Council discusses sewer, budget, SRO

Decisions about the regional sewer district, budget and a full-time school resource officer are coming in the next few months.

Jay County Council discussed all three issues at its meeting Wednesday.

The regional sewer district rate increases will be the first to come before council at a special meeting slated for 6 p.m. July 30 in the auditorium at Jay County Courthouse. At that time, council will make its decision about a rate increase.

A committee of council members, a commissioner and regional sewer district representatives has been looking at potential solutions for the regional sewer district since April, when council first heard an appeal of a sewer rate increase. Customers of the district had balked at an increase that would have bumped their monthly rates to more than $101.85 in the Dunkirk area and $92.90 in the Portland area from the current $76.75 as of May 1.

Council agreed to provide $25,000 in interim financial relief and the sewer district board voted to delay the rate increase until Aug. 1. Now that deadline is approaching, and council will make its decision July 30 on whether or not the rate increase was “just and equitable.”

Also Wednesday, auditor Anna Culy told council members Jeanne Houchins, Ted Champ, Gary Theurer, Bob Vance, Cindy Newton, Mike Rockwell and Faron Parr that the county’s assessed value is expected to go down, giving council less money to work with in its budget.

That drop is predominantly because of a change to the way the state assesses agricultural land — a 2017 study projected that such land would drop from an assessed value per acre of $2,050 in 2016 to $1,850 this year, $1,545 next year and $1,375 in 2020. Agricultural land accounts for 41.2 percent of property in Jay County.

Culy said she will meet with her Indiana Department of Local Government Finance representative Aug. 6. Council’s budget review meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 5, followed by a public hearing and first reading of the budget Sept. 19 and second reading and budget adoption on Oct. 10.

Houchins updated council on a recent personnel committee meeting at which the possibility of adding a full-time school resource officer was discussed with Jay School Corporation superintendent Jeremy Gulley and Sheriff Dwane Ford.

The county and school corporation are working on finalizing the job description for the new position, setting pay rates and discussing how the financial burden would be shared. A full-time SRO won’t be in place at the start of the school year next month, Houchins said, as the logistics continue to be worked out.

“There’s still a lot of moving parts to this,” said Houchins.

Champ said he’s encouraged that the school corporation is taking a proactive approach to safety rather than sitting back and hoping nothing happens.

“We need to be prepared,” agreed Houchins.

In other business, council:

•Thanked Vance for his service. The two-term council member is moving out of the county and has resigned his seat effective July 31.

•Approved Jay County Sheriff’s Office Merit Board’s decision to shift administration of its trust fund to Comerica. The fund had previously been handled by MainSource Bank, but such services are no longer available following its sale to First Financial Bank.

•Officially approved pay rates for election workers as follows: election board – $1,545 annually; absentee voter board – $70 per day; assistants – $40 per day; precinct inspector (four combined or more) – $150; precinct inspector (three precincts or fewer) – $140; judges and clerks – $125; meal allowance – $10; polling place rental – $90.

•Made the following additional appropriations: A total of $20,873.87 in Drug Free Community grant funds that will be distributed to local organizations included Community Corrections, Youth Service Bureau, Meridian Health Services, A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope and the Portland and Dunkirk police departments; a total of $13,700 in health-bioterrorism grant funds; $6,870 in the Jay County Solid Waste Management District budget for a new sidewalk and ramp.

•Approved the following general fund transfers: $15,000 and $10,000 to computer maintenance from group health insurance and employer social security, respectively; $10,000 to insurance building, liability and vehicle from workman’s compensation; and $6,000 to part-time custodian from full-time custodian.

•Affirmed that five companies — Minnich Poultry, Arrowhead, Green Valley Ranch, Crossroads and NextEra — that have county tax abatements are all in compliance.

•Moved $1,500 to the jury fee fund.