Few new building projects in November

The list of building projects for the county in November was minimal.
Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department issued 17 building permits for the month totaling $616,900, with just one of those for a project costing more than $100,000.
The expansion at Pennville Custom Cabinetry at 600 E. Votaw Street was the largest project in November with a construction cost of $300,000. The company is adding 7,000 square feet to its facility and expects to hire three new employees as a result.
The only other project to clear the $50,000 mark last month was a $65,000 expansion at Joyce Dayton Corporation, 1621 N. Meridian St., Portland. Travis K. Homan, 8172 W. 550 North, and Pete A. Shawver, 2791 S. U.S. 27, were approved for $45,000 projects to build a compost building and storage building respectively. Jerry E. Girod received a permit for a $40,000 barn and buggy shed at 8807 N. 350 East.
Other permits issued in November were to Brian Kunkler for a $30,000 roof over an existing compost area at 2845 S. 500 East; Barry Retter for an $11,000 compost building a 6641 W 800 South; William R. Schoenlein for a $30,000 barn addition at 2229 N. 600 East; Matthew Johnson for a $25,000 building addition at 7482 S. 1150 West; Paul Wickelman for a $500 lean-to at 1870 S. 300 West; Audrey Muhlenkamp for a $200 fence at 704 W. Race St., Portland; Kirstine Alexander for a $1,000 fence at 1014 W. Main St, Portland; William B. Schwartz for a $3,500 pond at 7861 N. 250 East; Dustin Robinette for a $500 storage building at 803 W. 650 North; Ladge and Cherryl Cambill for a $1,200 storage shed at 2300 E. 500 North; Barbara Elzey for a $2,000 storage building at 808 E. 400 North; and Samuel Voght for a $17,000 garage at 1012 W. Arch St., Portland.

Nurses hired
Two nurses from Jay County have joined the staff of Family LifeCare in Berne.
Amanda Witt and Libby Lowrance, both registered nurses, have been hired as home care nurses. Family LifeCare is a non-profit organization that provides home care and other services in Jay, Adams, Randolph, Wells, Blackford, Allen, Grant, Huntington and Wabash counties.

Petoskey expands
Petoskey Plastics has expanded its operation in Hartford City.
The expansion is a $5.4 million investment that includes building improvements and additional equipment. Hartford City Council approved a 10-year tax abatement for the project.
The company refurbished vacant buildings to add storage and sorting capacity. It expects the improvements to create six new jobs, pushing its total employee base to more than 120.
The expansion is the third for the facility since Petoskey began operations in Hartford City in 2008.
The plastics recycler and manufacturer recycles approximately 20 million pounds of post-consumer plastic annually.