JCDC reviews bylaw proposal

Jay County Development Corporation’s board has recommendations to consider.

A study committee on Tuesday presented the JCDC board its recommendations for bylaw changes that would assign permanent seats on the executive committee to several local government officials and also establish a code of conduct for all board members.

The recommendations stem from a discussion at JCDC’s October meeting during which county and municipal government officials made a proposal that the county commissioners president, county council president, Portland mayor and Dunkirk mayor be made permanent members of the executive committee. The proposal presented by Jay County Council president Jeanne Houchins would have given local government officials half of the seats on the executive committee. It also suggested that any JCDC board member who misses three consecutive meetings be subject to removal and that the board be reduced — by attrition — from its current 25 members.

In response, JCDC’s board formed a special committee to review the request and make recommendations to the full board. Those recommendations are as follows:

•Making permanent seats on the JCDC board for one Jay County Commissioner, one Jay County Council member, the mayor of Portland and the mayor of Dunkirk

•Expanding the executive committee — it is currently five members — to eight, with a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, county commissioner, county council member and one mayor

•Creating a code of conduct for all board members, based on the JCDC employee code of conduct, to address not only attendance but also criminal activity, conflicts of interest, detrimental behavior and a variety of other topics

The committee that worked on the recommendations suggested they be reviewed by legal counsel before being implemented.

The board spent most of its hour-long meeting discussing the recommendations from the committee, with member Mark Leavell asking what decision-making power lies with the executive committee. None, JCDC executive director Travis Richards responded, unless assigned by the full board.

Several board members questioned the inclusion of the immediate past president on the executive committee. Board member Tabby Sprunger, though, noted it can be helpful to have a historical perspective from the past president, especially if several committee members are new.

There was also discussion about why only one of the mayors was included on the executive committee. Study committee members explained it was a compromise. (Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins served on the special committee and Portland Mayor John Boggs on Tuesday said he would be OK with moving forward with that part of the recommendations.)

Board member Josh Atkinson also questioned why other municipalities — Pennville, Redkey, Bryant and Salamonia — are being left out.

Special committee members also provided clarification that attendance rules would include all executive committee meetings and regular board meetings.

That led to a question from Leavell regarding who is in charge of enforcing the code of conduct. All such decisions would be up to the full board.

Harkening back to objections he voiced following the local government officials’ initial proposal in October, Atkinson referred to the entire process as “ridiculous” and said he finds it “idiotic” to seek to appease them.

He also expressed concern about overloading the executive committee with elected officials.

Eventually, a motion was made to approve the changes to the bylaws, but after some discussion about procedure it was determined that plans to vote on any such changes requires advance notice. The board agreed to vote on the proposals at its next meeting.

The board also approved JCDC’s 2023 budget, with Brian McGalliard abstaining, at $266,650, down $20,000 from last year. (The budget is typically approved in October, but the board held off at that time because the county’s budget process was not yet complete. Ultimately the county cut funding to JCDC by $20,000.)

The budget included 6% raises for JCDC employees, matching the raise given to most county employees, and moves dollars for the vacant Jay County Community Development position to a restricted fund.

JCDC executive director Travis Richards explained that he plans to have a meeting of board members and local government officials to discuss the direction of the organization moving forward as part of a launch to a new strategic planning process. (The organization’s current strategic plan runs through the end of this year.) That planning process would include the future of the JCCD position and if it will be filled.

In other business, the board:

•Was reminded by Mary Adair of Jay County VIsitor and Tourism Bureau that the Jay County Fiber Arts Festival is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 10 and 11 at Jay Community Center.

•Appointed Cindy Bracy and Bryan Alexander to the JCDC board. Alexander fills a seat that was not filled during last year’s process while Bracy will represent Jay County Council on the board after council president Jeanne Houchins resigned from JCDC. Bracy’s term runs through 2024 while Alexander’s runs through 2025.

*Heard from Jay County Chamber of Commerce executive director Tabby Sprunger that voting is open for the Jay County Community Awards at form.jotform.com/230025403392141.

•In regard to monthly reports, heard Keesling ask that information about requests for proposals — how many are forwarded from Indiana Economic Development Corporation and how many are responded to — be included.