Groups to fill in for animal control

Jay County animal control may be gone, but local nonprofits are stepping up to the plate in its absence.

Midwest Pet Refuge and Jay County Humane Society have offered to take calls normally responded to by former animal control officers Bill and Kathy Fields. The Fields announced their retirement in November, signaling the county to either look for another animal control service or find another solution.

Jay County Commissioners approved a request at their meeting Monday for $11,000 total to be divided equally between the two nonprofit organizations. This amount is about a quarter of what the county would be paying for contracted animal control.

“It’s tricky sometimes to know exactly how much money is spent because each animal is a unique situation,” said human society board president Mindy Weaver. “One of the shelters I work with is in Hobart, Indiana. If I have to drive a dog up there, it’s going to be expensive.”

Weaver requested the amount in anticipation of the coming year. She explained the two organizations have been answering animal control phone calls for the last three months, which she attributed to health issues of the Fields.

Both Weaver and Midwest Pet Refuge executive director Tara Drumm offered to share their personal numbers with law enforcement in the event they are needed at irregular hours. Both organizations will provide numbers to those in need of critter control, which does come at a cost to the individual.

This is a temporary solution, Weaver said, bringing up the Jay County Animal Control Task Force and its recommendations. Currently, the humane society shelter can house about 12 dogs, she said, and Midwest Pet Refuge can foster canines.

Weaver emphasized they can house aggressive but not vicious dogs. She said there is a fine line between the two and that often times an aggressive dog can seem vicious because it is in “survival mode” and acting defensive.

Later in the meeting, sheriff Dwane Ford said animal control calls can be difficult to handle.

“Animal complaints are probably one of our worst things, other than domestics, we go on because people care about their animals more sometimes than they do their family,” he said.

Ford made it clear he does not want to deputize individuals for the new animal control plan, and he would rather have trained officers respond as necessary. If there were one designated individual, such as an animal control officer, he said, that would be different.

The task force, which presented its report to commissioners in November, offered several recommendations for animal control moving forward. One such recommendation was to “train and specially deputize (shelter workers) in a very limited way” for domestic animal control problems.

Also Monday, commissioners approved an easement for Ohio Valley Gas in Portland to extend a gas valve located at the fairgrounds. The valve is behind the 4-H barns to the north, near the entrance across from the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association Grounds. Ohio Valley Gas district manager Conan Wallace, who came at the request of Jay County Fair Board, asked to extend the valve 450 feet east to provide heating to the new restrooms being constructed.

Commissioners also heard from Ryan Hurt of Bryant-based All Circuit Electric. He came with a proposal to install solar panels at the Dunkirk Fire Department and Jay County Emergency Medical Service Dunkirk base.

Switching to solar power would cost between $30,000 and $40,000. In about 10 years, the purchase would pay for itself, he said.

Commissioner Chuck Huffman told Hurt he would need to speak with Dunkirk officials because the building is shared with the city. County engineer Dan Watson shared the information with the Dunkirk Board of Works on Monday. (See related story.)

Hurt’s business has also changed several lights at Jay County Jail. While at the meeting, commissioners asked him about the process. He estimated there are about 385 fixtures at the jail, and he’s changed several, but he couldn’t put an exact number to how many.

In November, commissioners agreed to move forward with drafting a 15-year contract for installing new lighting at the jail. The agreement with Florida based-Future Energy Solutions would replace all of the interior and exterior light bulbs and fixtures with efficient LED bulbs and provide regular maintenance.

Both commissioners Mike Leonhard and Chad Aker agreed if Hurt has changed out nearly half of the lighting already, it may be beneficial to hire his business for the rest of the lighting instead of Future Energy Solutions. He agreed to get the commissioners an itemized list of the lights he has changed.

In other business, commissioners:

•Mentioned Jessica Ooten, Emergency Management Agency director, will be resigning from her position effective Dec. 26. She will be taking a Jay County Emergency Medical Service role and has offered to help fill the job until her replacement.

•Reappointed three Jay County Health Department positions for the upcoming year: board members Joseph Vormohr, Trent Paxson and health officer Jerry Whetzel.

•Approved the following: a $286,973.83 purchase from Southeastern Equipment of Fort Wayne for a new chip spreader and compact roller; a $1,371 reverse osmosis water filter for Jay County Retirement Center. The mechanism purchased from D & D Plumbing has a 11-gallon tank and can pump up to 50 gallons of clean liquid a day; a $26,268 annual contract with Havel, a preventative maintenance program from outside the county; a $4,000 contract with Courtroom Sciences Inc. for one more year of access. County clerk Jon Eads explained the county recently changed over to a new system, but he would like to have access to the old server for at least another year.

•Signed the following: paperwork for new Lifestream buses; contract for bridge work inspection for the next four years in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Transportation. The bridge inspection contract, priced at $273,000, will cost the county about $54,000 after INDOT’s contributions; two claims, $500 for the American Legion from a donation for breakfast supplies and $10.35 from Progressive Office for counters and staplers; a joint resolution with Jay County Council to move $667,572.65 in CARES Act disbursements to the county general fund, which will reimburse the county for COVID-related expenses.