Funding approved

Jay County Baseball Club will be getting financial support from the county.

Jay County Commissioners approved contributing $175,000 for the nonprofit organization’s new facility during their meeting Monday.

Jay County Baseball Club recently bought a building on county road 500 West for $575,000, planning to renovate it into a turfed sports facility. Preliminary plans for the interior included a main room with turf and six batting cages, a golf simulator, a classroom area for teams and an office space.

Jay County Council agreed Oct. 11 to a one-time match of $220,000 in wind farm economic development dollars toward the nonprofit organization’s new building, The Clubhouse. At that time, parents, children and other club members crowded into Jay County Courthouse’s auditorium in support of the project, taking up at least half of the room.

Brady Johnson, Zac Green and Kyle Teeter, all members of the club’s board of directors, approached commissioners with the same funding request Monday. (The decision must be approved by both council and commissioners.)

Teeter asked council on Oct. 11 to consider a one-time match of about $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, with council deciding on a 3-2 vote to bump the amount by an additional $20,000 and instead to take the money from wind farm economic development funds. (Council members Matt Minnich and Cindy Bracy dissented, explaining they would feel comfortable with a lesser amount.)

The group started a fundraising campaign for the project in August. (To donate, visit bit.ly/ClubhouseFundraiser.) So far, Jay County Baseball Club has raised $185,000, with another $35,000 pledged.

Facility start-up costs not including the building purchase are estimated at $180,000, according to a handout distributed by the group. Those costs include purchasing equipment and related fees.

Commissioner Rex Journay asked how the organization plans to handle situations in which an individual isn’t able to pay dues but wants to use the facility. Teeter said they plan to offer “free days” or open house hours a couple times each month at no cost to participants.

“How do we not charge? We get it completely funded,” explained Teeter, noting the club took out a $420,000 loan to pay for its new building.

He added that the board has made “angel contributions” for children who aren’t able to afford rates but would benefit from joining the club.

“We are a nonprofit, we’re not in it to make money,” said Johnson. “There’s a lot of ideas out there, how to make Jay County better. We believe this is one of them.

“Now, we might be a crumb, but it takes a crumb to make a full loaf, you know.” 

Plans are to apply for other grants, including through The Portland Foundation. The county’s financial support will help to enhance their application, said Teeter.

Commissioner Chad Aker said the new facility will bring more business to Jay County and pointed out the land offers room for expansion. 

“I think there’s endless possibilities out there,” said Aker.

His largest concern, he said, is families or children who couldn’t afford to use the new facility.

Commissioner Brian McGalliard voiced support for the project, but he shared the same concern as Aker. 

He also noted the group’s fundraising total ($185,000 before pledges) so far compared to the $220,000 approved by council. He referenced other organizations that have received less of a match, such as Jay County Humane Society, which raised more than $1 million to purchase and renovate a building and received an additional $275,000 from the county for the project.

McGalliard advocated for contributing a lesser amount than what council approved — about $150,000 — for start-up costs. Teeter, Johnson and Green also pointed to the mortgage, which is about $3,700 monthly.

Commissioners ultimately decided to pay for six months of the group’s mortgage as well as an additional $153,000 toward equipment and utility costs for a total $175,000.