Boggs urges Stellar effort

Portland Mayor John Boggs wants action.

He said so Monday to Portland City Council, which was urged to educate itself on the Jay! Region regional development plan presented to the state in an effort to earn the Stellar Communities designation last year.

The region, including Portland, was a finalist last year, though Marshall County Crossroads was selected for the designation in December. The regional development plan was one of the steps, along with an in-person presentation, in the effort to earn the designation that would have put the region in the front of the line for millions in grant dollars from state agencies.

The regional development plan — it is available at bit.ly/2kS17Gu — details specific target projects for the region, which included Jay County, Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey and Pennville, would like to complete. Chief among the priorities for Portland were the creation of a trailhead, facade improvements and the addition and upgrading of housing.

The region is planning to apply for Stellar designation again this year, but Boggs wanted council to read up on last year’s plan now to be better informed about potential redevelopment efforts for the city and to better serve the Portland’s long term needs as sitting council members.

“How can we, as the council and a city, support the plan with more than just talk?” Boggs asked the council. “Get behind it and do something to get this downtown revitalization going.” 

Boggs said he wants to hear from council members about the proposed plan within the next week and encouraged discussion about it at future council meetings.

In other business, council members Mike Aker, Michele Brewster, Dave Golden, Matt Goldsworthy, Don Gillespie, Kent McClung and Janet Powers:

•Heard a recap of Goldsworthy’s weekend spent in Indianapolis at Indiana Bond Bank’s Flipping Finance Challenge, which saw innovators from across the state present solutions to Jay County’s challenges in a brainstorming competition.

•Gave its blessing to Jones & Henry Engineers, on behalf of the city’s wastewater treatment plant, to apply for a loan from the state for planned infrastructure improvements to the plant.

•Fielded questions from local Boy Scouts from Troop 206 who were there to satisfy a merit badge requirement by asking local officials questions about the community.

•Paid $223,821.06 in claims.