County won’t help pay for runway

Runway expansion at Portland Municipal Airport won’t get financial support from county government.

“I’m not sure we can help you,” Jay County Commissioners president Chuck Huffman told Portland Mayor John Boggs on Monday morning.

Boggs explained that the first step in the $4.4 million runway expansion project is enclosing 555 feet of Alexander Ditch along with grading and drainage work before paving can begin.

That first phase carries a price tag of $266,000, and while the Portland Redevelopment Commission had earmarked $150,000 for the project in 2014, another $116,000 is still needed.

“We need some money,” said Boggs. “We have to mitigate that ditch before we run the runway over it. … The county benefits from the operation of the airport. … We’ll be able to handle larger planes, primarily jet aircraft.”

Huffman responded, “The question is how much of the benefit is to Portland instead of the county as a whole.”

A Federal Aviation Administration grant will cover 90% of the estimated $4.4 million expansion, with Indiana Department of Transportation covering another 5%.

Huffman indicated he believes the city can handle the balance of the cost.

“To me, the city’s portion is relatively small,” he said.

Also Monday, commissioners Chad Aker, Mike Leonhard and Huffman were unanimous in approving adding another penny to the county’s cumulative bridge fund tax rate. The rate had been 6 cents, but that was dropped to 3 cents a few years ago when county finances were tight.

The reduction “was always intended to be temporary,” said Huffman.

Most recently, the rate has been 4.5 cents, but Monday’s action would boost that to 5.5 cents. Final approval on the change still must come from the Jay County Council.

“Get it back up where it’s supposed to be,” said Leonhard.

Issues of courthouse security continued to occupy commissioners Monday, with Leonhard saying he’s already heard complaints about limiting public access to the building to the south entrance only.

“It’s going to be a change,” acknowledge Huffman, “and people are not going to be happy.”

It’s still unclear how access to the building during events such as the summer Farmers Market and the Kroozin’ the Courthouse car show May 16. Traditionally, the building has been open so the public has access to the restrooms.

Arch Bridge Kroozers pays for a custodian to be present during the car show.

“We’ll work something out,” said Leonhard. “But this is getting more and more complicated.”

“You need to establish a policy,” said county auditor Anna Culy.

Attorney Bill Hinkle agreed. “You just need to think of all the issues.”

Aker told commissioners he had been investigating ongoing issues about arsenic levels in well water at Jay County Retirement Center. He said new tests showed arsenic levels at the well house were just over the allowable limit, while levels at the kitchen sink were slightly below.

“In the past, we’ve gone below and above, below and above,” said Aker.

He’ll gather prices for a reverse osmosis unit in an effort to solve the problem.

“It’s probably going to be a lot cheaper than drilling a well,” said Leonhard.

In the meantime, the well water is not being used for human consumption.

In other business, commissioners:

•Proclaimed March 16 through 20 as Ag Week in Jay County.

•Approved a grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $101,000 to provide hydraulic lift assists for Jay Emergency Management Service stretchers.

•Approved the county’s capital asset management plan to bring it into line with new state requirements.

•Heard a request for funds from the Jay Community Center to help pay for new LED lighting.

•Approved more than $90,000 in cost-share payments for farmers adopting conservation practices along the upper Salamonie River under an Indiana Department of Environmental Management grant.