Abatements approved

A local firm will get some tax breaks as it plans to invest millions in its facility.

Portland City Council on Monday approved a pair of tax abatements for Joyce/Dayton, which plans to purchase new equipment and expand its site at the southeast corner of Meridian Street and county road 100 North.

Travis Richards, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, presented the tax abatement requests from Joyce/Dayton to council last month.

The company plans to expand its operation at 1621 N. Meridian Street with a 25,000-square-foot addition. It is estimated at $6 million.

Joyce/Dayton also plans to purchase $1.7 million in new equipment.

Combined, the expansion and the new equipment are expected to create 22 new jobs.

The expansion is eligible for a 10-year abatement that would save the company $823,000 in taxes. (It would generate $953,000 in taxes over 10 years.)

The new equipment is eligible for a three-year abatement that would save Joyce-Dayton $45,000 in taxes. (It would generate $135,000 in taxes over 10 years.)

Council members Kent McClung, Janet Powers, Don Gillespie, Michele Brewster, Matt Goldsworthy, Dave Golden and Mike Aker unanimously approved both abatements on the recommendation of the city’s tax abatement advisory committee.

Golden thanked Richards for his work on the abatement and said he is hopeful Jay County Development Corporation will be fully funded soon. McClung echoed those sentiments.

Joyce/Dayton was one of 17 companies named to Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Best Places to Work in Manufacturing last month. The rankings for the list will be announced at the 2023 Best IN Manufacturing Awards Luncheon on Dec. 13 in Indianapolis.

Also Monday, council fell short of approving a change to the 2023 payroll ordinance to allow for a modification for police officer Kyle Denney.

Portland Mayor John Boggs, who was absent Monday, and police chief Steve Schlechty previously requested the change as Denney returned to the department in September with a promise of full-time pay. Because he was gone from the department for more than 180 days, he cannot be considered full-time until he goes through a process related to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. The proposed ordinance change would have created a second tier of part-time pay to bring Denney up to match the full-time level.

Council members discussed the issue Monday, with McClung and Goldsworthy expressing support for the ordinance to fulfill what the city promised Denney. Powers and Golden said they were uncomfortable with potentially setting a precedent and creating issues of unfairness toward other employees.

The ordinance nearly died for lack of a motion before Goldsworthy asked a question about the process and subsequently made a motion that it be approved retroactively to Denney’s hire date in mid-September. Council split 3-3-1 with McClung, Goldsworthy and Brewster in favor, Powers, Golden and Aker against and Gillespie abstaining, leaving the ordinance one vote short of passage.

In other business, council:

•Approved making the intersection of two alleys on the west side of Arts Place a three-way stop. Shawnda Roussey of Arts Place visited council last month to request the change for the safety of those who walk to and from the Arts Place parking lot.

•Learned from clerk-treasurer Lori Phillips, answering a question from Brewster, that work on Walnut, High and Arch streets related to the Meridian Street storm sewer project is expected to be complete Monday, Nov. 13.

•Heard comments from Powers and Golden that city residents appreciated the large trash item pick up last week, with Golden saying there is a sentiment that such clean-up days should be held at least twice a year.

•Were reminded by Goldsworthy and McClung that the city is picking up leaves. McClung reminded residents to remove sticks from leaf piles. He added that they should be raked to the edge of, and not into, the street.

•Learned from Phillips, answering a question from Golden, that bids for the live-streaming and recording of city meetings will be opened at the December Portland Board of Works meeting. A state law requiring live-streaming and recording of government meetings will go into effect July 1, 2025.

•Approved additional appropriations, including $120,000 in the other contractual fund, $50,000 from the cumulative capital improvement fund, a total of $38,000 related to Portland Water Park and $23,000 from the local option income tax (LOIT) police gas fund.

•Heard Golden encouraged residents to vote in the municipal election.