Economic development plan updated

Jay County Redevelopment Commission’s economic development plan is changing slightly.

The commission updated its plan Wednesday, making some adjustments as well as removing a section allocating potential funding for educational and training programs.

It also heard its annual tax increment report from consulting firm Baker Tilly and adopted an annual resolution to retain property tax revenues from the tax increment financing (TIF) district.

Jay County’s TIF district covers approximately 191 acres southwest of Portland in Greene Township. Created about 15 years ago in response to plans to build an ethanol plant in the area, the TIF district had been generating dollars that were used to pay off bonds associated with road work and sewer improvements near the plant. 

In 2023, Jay County made its final bond payment for the project. The redevelopment commission has been looking into its options for spending the dollars coming in from the district, which will continue for the next 13 years. 

The economic development plan includes a list of potential projects to which the redevelopment commission could contribute TIF dollars. The list includes projects for transportation enhancements, public safety enhancements, utility infrastructure, Jay County Highway Department improvements, a new building for Jay County Solid Waste Management District and a public safety building and development of the 68 acres owned by the county on the western edge of Portland. (In April, the board agreed per recommendation from board member Chuck Huffman to add child care projects to the list.)

Consultant Ed Curtin of CWC Latitudes noted Wednesday a few changes to the plan and suggested commission members OK the document before forwarding it to Jay County Plan Commission for approval. 

He pointed out some small changes in the language as well as the addition of a section allowing “contracts with eligible entities for educational and training programs” consistent with Indiana Code 36-7-25-7. (The section would have included early learning or child care projects, as discussed last month.)

“What we tried to do is really align it with what the state statute calls for in terms of education,” explained Curtin.

Jay County Commissioner and redevelopment commission member Brian McGalliard suggested removing the new section regarding educational programs. 

He pointed to educational programming from John Jay Center for Learning and Jay School Corporation and made a motion to approve the plan minus the new section.

Curtin noted the section added to the plan mirrors Indiana Code.

“Whether or not it’s in the plan, the commission can still spend expend funds (on it),” he said. “We don’t have to have it in the plan. I don’t think it hurts anything that it’s in the plan, but it’s ultimately up to the commission on how they want to do it.”

Commission members, with Carl Walker dissenting, approved the updated version of the plan and removed the section for educational and training programs.

Also Wednesday, redevelopment commission heard from Jason Semler of accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly. Semler shared the board’s tax increment report for 2023.

He reminded the board its last year collecting dollars from the TIF district will be the year following its expiration in 2037.

Baker Tilly anticipates the county to collect $573,450 from the TIF district this year. (The year prior, it collected $585,517.)

The redevelopment commission also decided not to release any of the assessed value back to taxing entities for 2025.

Also, Semler noted the county could expand its current TIF district or establish a new one. Answering a question about the timeline from McGalliard, county attorney Wes Schemenaur noted he is working on legislation to encompass prospective solar farms into the TIF district. (Solar farms are expected to be located on at least 5,350 acres in the county and include Skycrest Solar in Penn and Jackson townships, Rose Gold Solar north of Dunkirk, Sun Chief Solar northeast of Redkey and New Jay Solar east of Dunkirk.)

In other business, redevelopment commission members Shannon Current, Ted Champ, Faron Parr, Huffman, McGalliard and Walker approved a $4,937.50 claim from CWC Latitudes for consulting services.