Commissioners waiting for governor’s lead

All eyes are on Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.

With the governor’s stay-at-home order scheduled to expire Friday, local officials are looking for guidance as to what comes next.

“We’ll see if the governor gives us any more latitude,” Jay County Commissioner Chuck Huffman said Monday morning.

“It’s tricky,” Jay County Health Department environmentalist and administrator Heath Butz told commissioners. “It’s hard to get it right. I think the governor’s doing the best he can with the information he’s getting. … Hopefully we can get to opening back up soon.”

Huffman and fellow commissioners Mike Leonhard and Chad Aker scheduled a special session for 4 p.m. Friday after the governor takes whatever action he might choose to take.

While state numbers for new cases of COVID-19 and related deaths continue to be high, commissioners noted that local numbers remain low.

“Our numbers and surrounding county numbers are far lower,” said Huffman.

Butz cautioned against complacency, however.

“Here in Jay County we’re at 12 positives. At this point we don’t have any deaths, and we want to keep it that way,” Butz said. “We’re doing well largely because of what we’ve done.”

A 13th positive case was confirmed later in the day Monday.

Butz urged residents to follow the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and wear masks when in public.

“This is especially important as we expect at some point the governor is going to start opening things up,” he said. “We recommend the community plan for a new normal. … I think there are things we can do to mitigate the risk.””

That’s likely to continue social distancing and the wearing of masks, he noted.

“It’s disconcerting to see shoppers without masks,” said Butz.

Leonhard agreed.

“It’s common sense,” he said. “Common sense is what everyone needs to have.”

Huffman urged caution on the part of county government whatever the governor decides.

“We do not want to send (the wrong) signal,” he said.

As to events planned for this summer, Butz urged the public to “delay decisions as long as possible.”

“Try to plan for all eventualities,” he said.

In other business, commissioners:

•Signed a contract with Indiana Department of Transportation in connection with a $1 million Community Crossings grant for paving of Como Road.

•Accepted emulsion bids from Marathon at $1.35 a gallon and Asphalt Materials at $1.42 a gallon for the highway department, noting that Asphalt Materials would only be used a backup supplier.

•Learned that the latest infrastructure fund payment by Waste Management was $101,780.

•Approved a claim of $685.76 for additional COVID-19 related gowns for Jay Emergency Medical Service from Butterworth Industries, Gas City. The company had donated plastic, reusable gowns to JEMS, and the county decided to purchase an additional supply.

•Noted that a dropbox has been placed at the south entrance to Jay County Courthouse for property tax payments. The deadline for property tax payments is May 12. Cost of the dropbox was $1,100.

•Acting as county drainage board, approved drainage plans for an expansion of the paved area at Jay County High School and a planned expansion of Golden Age Village in Portland.