April 7, 2021 at 4:28 p.m.
JCDC may weigh in on quarry
JCDC may weigh in on quarry
A local economic development organization will be taking its own look at the proposed rezoning of land for stone quarry expansion.
Jay County Development Corporation’s board of directors had a wide-ranging discussion about the issue during its regular meeting Tuesday, ultimately deciding to meet again next week to discuss whether the organization should weigh in on the rezoning decision.
The board also addressed the process for hiring a new director of community development.
Board member Brian McGalliard, who is also a Jay County Commissioner, brought up the stone quarry, asking if JCDC had taken on a position on its rezoning request.
Thus far, it has not.
US Aggregates, which currently operates a quarry southwest of the city, has requested that a parcel of land between county road 100 South and Tyson Road, east of county road 200 West, be rezoned to allow for an expansion there. The company has estimated the current site — 2228 W. 125 South — will allow for three to five more years of operation while the expansion site would make another 30 years worth of materials available.
Portland Plan Commission on a 6-2 vote last week recommended that the request be denied. The issue now moves to Portland City Council, which makes the ultimate decision on rezoning requests. (Council has 90 days to act on the rezoning request after plan commission’s recommendation is certified.)
The board discussed the issue at length, with two of its members advocating on opposing sides of the issue.
Josh Atkinson, who is the attorney representing US AggregatesU.S. Aggregates, emphasized the economic impact of potentially losing the stone quarry. He noted loss in wages in the form of 22 jobs, the increased cost of hauling stone for county road work and the impact on other local businesses that buy and/or transport stone from US Aggregates.
Joe Johnston, a resident of nearby Rose Drive who has been a vocal opponent of the rezoning, argued that a quarry expansion in that location would have a negative impact on home values and that it would block expansion of the city in that area. He also said he feels US Aggregates could find somewhere else to expand.
Other board members asked a variety of questions regarding the economic impact of the quarry, the potential ripple effect if it shuts down, whether there are proposed plans for other development in that area and if a guarantee of home prices would be feasible.
The board ultimately decided to hold another meeting to discuss the issue, setting it for 4 p.m. April 15. (City council could decide on the rezoning request as early as its April 19 meeting.) It asked Atkinson and Johnston to facilitate information on both sides of the issue to be sent to JCDC executive director Travis Richards by Friday. That information will then be distributed to board members for their review prior to discussion at the April 15 meeting.
Several board members brought up JCDC’s mission — “To enhance the quality of life in Jay County by assisting in the creation, retention and reinvestment of wealth and increasing the number and quality of employment opportunities” — and discussed what the organization’s role would be in such situations.
The board also unanimously approved allowing its executive committee to hire the next director of community development.
JCDC executive director Travis Richards laid out his plan for the eight applicants for the job, which has been vacant since November, saying he would do a first round of interviews and narrow the field. The candidates were then slated for a second round of interviews with the executive committee, with that group to recommend a candidate to the full board for approval.
Several board members expressed concern about slowing down the process, with Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins specifically noting the importance of having someone in that position to help local municipalities administer American Relief Plan Act funds and other federal dollars that are or may become available.
Several board members agreed that they did not want to slow down the process. They voted to allow the JCDC executive committee — president Doug Loy, vice president Ron Laux, secretary Barbara Street and treasurer Trent Paxson — to make the hiring decision.
Richards also shared an update on JCDC’s activity over the last couple of months, noting some positive — the local unemployment rate has returned to pre-pandemic levels — and some negative — the announcement last week that the Coca-Cola facility in Portland will be closing in November. He noted that the county is part of the East Central Indiana 21st century Talent Region, an effort to improve population trends, increase income and increase educational attainment, along with Wayne, Randolph, Henry, Rush and Delaware counties.
In other business, the board:
•Approved its nominating committee’s recommendations of Mark Leavell of Redkey and Jenny Wagner of rural Dunkirk to fill the board seats vacated following the resignations of Doug Stanley and Dan Watson. The board also elected Ron Laux vice president to fill out the remainder of the year — Stanley had served in that role — and welcomed new board members Rob Keisling of Indiana Michigan Power and McGalliard.
•Heard from United Way of Jay County campaign co-chairs Barb Street and Angela Paxson that they were $519 short of meeting their goal for the year. McGalliard immediately pledged that amount from his business, Pizza King of Portland. They also noted that United Way of Jay County is involved in the Super Service Challenge through The Brees Dream Foundation and that voting is open at bit.ly/SSCUnitedWayJC.
•Heard reminders that: the Spring Explosion demolition derby will be April 23 through 25 at Jay County Fairgrounds; the Jay County Community Awards ceremony is slated for May 15 with voting likely to begin this week; the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association’s Swap and Sell Meet will be May 19 through 22 at the Tri-State grounds on Morton Street; and Springtime Kroozen at the Courthouse will be from May 22 on Main Street in Portland.
Jay County Development Corporation’s board of directors had a wide-ranging discussion about the issue during its regular meeting Tuesday, ultimately deciding to meet again next week to discuss whether the organization should weigh in on the rezoning decision.
The board also addressed the process for hiring a new director of community development.
Board member Brian McGalliard, who is also a Jay County Commissioner, brought up the stone quarry, asking if JCDC had taken on a position on its rezoning request.
Thus far, it has not.
US Aggregates, which currently operates a quarry southwest of the city, has requested that a parcel of land between county road 100 South and Tyson Road, east of county road 200 West, be rezoned to allow for an expansion there. The company has estimated the current site — 2228 W. 125 South — will allow for three to five more years of operation while the expansion site would make another 30 years worth of materials available.
Portland Plan Commission on a 6-2 vote last week recommended that the request be denied. The issue now moves to Portland City Council, which makes the ultimate decision on rezoning requests. (Council has 90 days to act on the rezoning request after plan commission’s recommendation is certified.)
The board discussed the issue at length, with two of its members advocating on opposing sides of the issue.
Josh Atkinson, who is the attorney representing US AggregatesU.S. Aggregates, emphasized the economic impact of potentially losing the stone quarry. He noted loss in wages in the form of 22 jobs, the increased cost of hauling stone for county road work and the impact on other local businesses that buy and/or transport stone from US Aggregates.
Joe Johnston, a resident of nearby Rose Drive who has been a vocal opponent of the rezoning, argued that a quarry expansion in that location would have a negative impact on home values and that it would block expansion of the city in that area. He also said he feels US Aggregates could find somewhere else to expand.
Other board members asked a variety of questions regarding the economic impact of the quarry, the potential ripple effect if it shuts down, whether there are proposed plans for other development in that area and if a guarantee of home prices would be feasible.
The board ultimately decided to hold another meeting to discuss the issue, setting it for 4 p.m. April 15. (City council could decide on the rezoning request as early as its April 19 meeting.) It asked Atkinson and Johnston to facilitate information on both sides of the issue to be sent to JCDC executive director Travis Richards by Friday. That information will then be distributed to board members for their review prior to discussion at the April 15 meeting.
Several board members brought up JCDC’s mission — “To enhance the quality of life in Jay County by assisting in the creation, retention and reinvestment of wealth and increasing the number and quality of employment opportunities” — and discussed what the organization’s role would be in such situations.
The board also unanimously approved allowing its executive committee to hire the next director of community development.
JCDC executive director Travis Richards laid out his plan for the eight applicants for the job, which has been vacant since November, saying he would do a first round of interviews and narrow the field. The candidates were then slated for a second round of interviews with the executive committee, with that group to recommend a candidate to the full board for approval.
Several board members expressed concern about slowing down the process, with Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins specifically noting the importance of having someone in that position to help local municipalities administer American Relief Plan Act funds and other federal dollars that are or may become available.
Several board members agreed that they did not want to slow down the process. They voted to allow the JCDC executive committee — president Doug Loy, vice president Ron Laux, secretary Barbara Street and treasurer Trent Paxson — to make the hiring decision.
Richards also shared an update on JCDC’s activity over the last couple of months, noting some positive — the local unemployment rate has returned to pre-pandemic levels — and some negative — the announcement last week that the Coca-Cola facility in Portland will be closing in November. He noted that the county is part of the East Central Indiana 21st century Talent Region, an effort to improve population trends, increase income and increase educational attainment, along with Wayne, Randolph, Henry, Rush and Delaware counties.
In other business, the board:
•Approved its nominating committee’s recommendations of Mark Leavell of Redkey and Jenny Wagner of rural Dunkirk to fill the board seats vacated following the resignations of Doug Stanley and Dan Watson. The board also elected Ron Laux vice president to fill out the remainder of the year — Stanley had served in that role — and welcomed new board members Rob Keisling of Indiana Michigan Power and McGalliard.
•Heard from United Way of Jay County campaign co-chairs Barb Street and Angela Paxson that they were $519 short of meeting their goal for the year. McGalliard immediately pledged that amount from his business, Pizza King of Portland. They also noted that United Way of Jay County is involved in the Super Service Challenge through The Brees Dream Foundation and that voting is open at bit.ly/SSCUnitedWayJC.
•Heard reminders that: the Spring Explosion demolition derby will be April 23 through 25 at Jay County Fairgrounds; the Jay County Community Awards ceremony is slated for May 15 with voting likely to begin this week; the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association’s Swap and Sell Meet will be May 19 through 22 at the Tri-State grounds on Morton Street; and Springtime Kroozen at the Courthouse will be from May 22 on Main Street in Portland.
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