County funding may be coming to JCDC

Jay County Development Corporation may be getting funding from the county again.

Jay County Commissioners agreed Monday to move forward with contributing $100,000 in economic development income tax (EDIT) funds to the organization.

The decision, which involves a six-month service agreement, is contingent on approval from Jay County Council.

JCDC board president Angela Paxson visited Monday’s meeting and reminded commissioners about her organization’s $261,975 funding request for a three-person staff. Paxson noted the group has several applicants for the economic development director position — previous executive director Travis Richards resigned in November but is continuing to assist JCDC on a part-time basis — but are holding off on interviews until the board knows it will have funding available.

Commissioner president Chad Aker explained that he and Paxson met last week. He pointed to a service agreement that he said mirrors JCDC’s agreement with Portland. Aker asked Paxson to share the proposal with her board.

“It was a little less restrictive than what we talked about before,” Aker said.

County officials and JCDC have been in contract discussions for more than a year.

The county, which typically provides the bulk of JCDC’s budget, did not make any payments to the organization in 2024 amid contract negotiations. 

Per the proposed service agreement Monday, JCDC’s services to the county include:

•Administrative and marketing services as it pertains to new business recruitments and existing business expansion, with primary objectives to include retaining jobs in Jay County, providing expansion opportunities to local businesses and recruiting new businesses in Jay County

•Meeting with businesses to determine whether their infrastructure needs are being met

•Engaging in activities to evaluate and assist in obtaining locations for economic development opportunities

•Providing resources to the county’s grant writer/community developer for grants and project development

•Assisting businesses in securing tax abatements

•Working with Jay County Redevelopment Commission and other local or regional groups for developing and implementing economic development projects in Jay County

•Providing services to economic development income tax (EDIT) advisory committee

•Maintaining an executive committee, which shall include one commissioner and one council member. (These members are also members of the JCDC board.)

•Reporting to commissioners and council at least quarterly

•Assisting the county with other economic development projects as requested

•Providing written reports of activities at each regular board and executive committee meeting

Aker suggested JCDC stick to a two-person staff and work with East Central Indiana Regional Planning District for community development needs instead of hiring a third employee. He also asked Paxson about JCDC’s short- and long-term goals.

She explained the organization needs to meet with municipalities to gain their input before setting goals. She also shared its reasoning for a third staff member.

“I would like our new executive director to be out in the county more, visiting with our industries, visiting with our towns, and that’s why I was pushing for a third person, so that (they) can have some help with the tax abatements and the other requests that come in,” she said.

Paxson asked for a direction from commissioners to know what to expect financially moving forward or a financial contribution made in good faith.

Aker questioned why Portland contributes less than the county each year, saying the city appears to benefit more from the organization than other municipalities or the county. 

Commissioner Doug Horn pointed to rural Jay County residents working in Portland.

“They can’t help where the factories are,” he said.

Commissioner Duane Monroe compared the county’s contributions to JCDC in 2022 and 2023. If the county were to contribute the same amount from 2022 at a 4% increase for inflation, he said, it would provide JCDC approximately $248,000 for the year.

He noted Portland City Council’s decision at the beginning of the month to pay its $50,000 allocation to JCDC in two payments, one this month and the other in July.

Monroe suggested moving forward with contributing $100,000 now and another payment — its amount would depend on when JCDC hires another director — in July.

“I’m not thinking that high of an amount,” responded Aker, suggesting the county give $50,000 to the organization now and another payment later.

He also recommended Portland contribute JCDC $100,000 annually.

“We’re getting about twice as what the city is,” said Horn, looking at JCDC’s budget breakdown. “We’ve got to find some common ground someplace to get started.”

Aker noted commissioners requested $140,000 in the 2025 budget for JCDC. He pointed to council’s decision last year to allocate no specific funding in the local income tax economic development portion of the 2025 budget. (Council members suggested commissioners could approach them in January to request additional appropriations for the dollars.)

“Ultimately, there’s a lot of things that need to be done,” said Monroe, voicing support for JCDC working with East Central Indiana Regional Planning District to continue existing projects.

He then made a motion to contribute $100,000 to JCDC, with county attorney Wes Schemenaur confirming that would include a six-month service agreement. Monroe and Horn voted in favor.