Little decision can have big impact

Sometimes little decisions can have very big consequences.

Take a decision this week by Jay County Commissioners.

At the recommendation of community developer Ami Huffman, commissioners agreed to spend a little more than $10,000 in economic development income tax funds to create asset management plans for Salamonia, Bryant and Pennville.

What’s an asset management plan? It’s a plan for maintaining local roads and streets.

Having one has been essential if a town or city or county wants to qualify for funding under the state’s Community Crossings program. The state essentially wants to know that if it’s going to provide funds for infrastructure that a plan will be in place for maintenance and replacement.

Without an asset management plan, towns are left out in the cold when it comes to tapping those state funds.

So far so good, but all three of those communities have little money on hand to come up with a match for state dollars. This year, the match was 50-50. Next round, the match will be 75-25. Even then, with $1 of local money matched by $3 of state money, towns like Bryant and Salamonia would be hard pressed to make much happen.

But that’s where things get creative.

The establishment of Bluff Point Wind Energy Center has resulted in Jay County having roughly $1 million to devote to economic development. 

Though formal action has not been taken, it’s expected that Jay County Development Corporation will recommend — and commissioners will approve — that a relatively small chunk of that money go toward providing the local match for major Community Crossings projects in those three small towns.

In other words, having an asset management plan makes the towns eligible to apply and having the ability to come up with the local match from wind farm monies gives those towns access to unprecedented resources for street paving projects.

Imagine, for example, what $100,000 or $200,000 in paving would do for Bryant or Salamonia or Pennville. That sort of infrastructure investment could make a difference for a generation. Just $25,000 in wind farm money could leverage another $75,000 from Community Crossings.

But creating an asset management plan is the first step, and that’s the quiet step made this week, the little decision that will have very big consequences indeed. — J.R.