JCDC reports on progress

Planning, paving and progress were the watchwords Thursday at the annual meeting of the Jay County Development Corporation.

“My goal is to help leave a better community for my kids,” said executive director Travis Richards, who is in his first year on the job.

Richards highlighted a number of business and industry investments locally in 2018:

•An investment of $3,164,000 by Fort Recovery Industries in new equipment and seven new jobs.

•An investment of $4.3 million by Priority Plastics in new equipment and four new jobs.

•An investment of $3,720,000 by FCC (Indiana) in new equipment and seven new jobs.

•An investment of $60,000 by Community Fiber Solutions for fiber installation at Dunkirk Industrial Park.

•An investment of $888,267 by Stay Jay Hotels for renovation of the Holiday Inn Express in Portland.

Richards also pointed to expected investment in internet broadband accessibility by Watch Communications in the year ahead, citing a Purdue University study that says every $1 invested in improved broadband results in $4 coming back to the local economy.

“Four times the return is incredible,” said Richards, noting Watch Communications’ participation in the Connect America Fund of the Federal Communications Commission. “Having the federal government behind this program is kind of a big deal.”

He said his office is still looking for potential sites for towers and suitable structures over 80 feet tall. “We’re looking to blanket the county (with broadband) as well as possible,” said Richards.

Community developer Ami Huffman, whose efforts have helped lead to Jay County’s position as a finalist in the state’s Stellar Communities competition, noted that much of her work has focused on planning.

During the past year, Redkey and Portland have completed their downtown revitalization plans, Pennville has developed a community plan, while Dunkirk has updated its downtown plan and is working on a master utility plan.

“All these plans have some key projects,” she said. “The final plan for Stellar is in the works right now. … There have been many meetings. There are a lot of projects.”

That plan — essentially a book — will be submitted to the Office of Community and Rural Affairs for consideration in September. A Stellar Communities decision is expected in December.

Huffman noted that a creative combination of funding from the state, the county and individual communities is resulting in an unprecedented amount of paving this year.

“We try to take a chunk at a time,” she said.

Doug Loy was elected as JCDC’s new president. Other officers include vice president Doug Stanley, treasurer Trent Paxson and secretary Barbara Street. 

New directors elected to the board include Mike Medler, Matt Minnich and John Myron.