United Way is seeking alternate options

The local United Way is looking for new ways to collect donations.

Jay County Commissioners signed a proclamation Monday declaring November as United Way of Jay County Month.

United Way’s 2020 campaign co-chair Barbara Street explained in an interview later Monday that COVID-19 has changed the organization’s usual routine for fundraising.

“We’re trying to reinvent how we can touch people,” she said, referencing how the group usually reaches out to service clubs or attends community events. Safety concerns about the virus have prompted fewer in-person fundraising efforts.

The organization is hoping to advertise its cause on social media and local news outlets. United Way helpers are trying to reach local businesses as well as county and city buildings for donations. Street noted that payroll deductions have been helpful in the past.

“If folks can just pledge a ‘Polar Pop’ a week — a dollar from their paycheck a week — those add up so much at the end of the year,” she said. “It’s easy and you don’t miss it if you never have that dollar in your hand.”

Also Monday, highway superintendent Donnie Corn shared quotes with commissioners Monday for equipment. Commissioners chose a $104,630 quote from Stoops Automotive for a new highway department dump truck. Corn also received permission to purchase a $10,000 conveyor for the back of a dump truck bed.

He presented one company’s estimate for a $276,805.83 new chip box and roller, which he explained the county will need when it starts chip and seal work next year.

Corn said it was the only place in Indiana to purchase the equipment, and he suggested the county pay for the expense over a three-year period. Commissioner Chuck Huffman asked Corn to advertise for bids and see if he gets anything back before continuing.

Representatives from Golf Brook Estates came forward to discuss treatment of Brookview and Golfbrook drives. In a previous meeting this year, commissioners questioned whether or not the roads should be paved by the county. Commissioners and Corn decided to pause plans to resurface them until they learned more.

During the Monday meeting, commissioner Chad Aker read aloud a portion from meeting minutes dating back to 1990 that deems commissioners responsible for the roads.

Golf Brook Estates board member Annette Alexander and president Mark Goldman both explained the county has been plowing and treating the roads for about 20 years. Alexander noted that both roads will need to be resurfaced soon, and commissioners noted it will be done sometime in 2021. Huffman asked county attorney Bill Hinkle to draft a resolution to have the road ownership in formal writing.

Commissioners also approved spending $41,011 for new computers and related equipment from Cleaver Cabling and Consulting of Martinsville and $9,413 for printers and scanner from Progressive Office Products in Portland. The equipment for Jay County Health Department will be paid for from an Indiana Health Department grant.

Butz also shared updates regarding the coronavirus pandemic. He mentioned the outbreak last week at Persimmon Ridge, but he repeated that the virus spread is on a larger scale.

“The virus doesn’t start in these long-term care facilities; it comes from the community,” he said. “So the more community spread we have going on, the more risk we’re going to have for it to get into those facilities.”

Butz said that despite being in the fifth stage of Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s plan for reopening Indiana, the health department is seeing more spread now than ever. He attributed some of that to an increase in testing. He stressed following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines during the winter months, especially while visiting family and friends for the holidays.

“One death is too many,” he said. “The more we do in the community to mitigate risk, the more we’ll protect everyone.”

In other business, commissioners Mike Leonhard, Aker and Huffman:

•Heard from county auditor Anna Culy, who discussed upgrading the courthouse internet service through Comcast to 600 MB per second or more.

•Renewed its contract with Physicians Health Plan for county employee health insurance at no increase. Health insurance broker Jessica Clayton explained Jay County’s rates ($8,200 per employee) are now lower than the national average ($9,000 to $12,000 per employee).

•Spoke with Jay Emergency Medical Service directors Gary Barnett and John McFarland about the JEMS September report totaling $103,079.17.

•Heard from retirement center director Hope Confer, who explained her department had a resident move out this weekend. She noted the center has only had one positive COVID-19 resident so far, and the staff member treating that resident is now in quarantine.

•Adopted the commissioners’ calendar for 2021 meetings. Like the current year, commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month.

•Signed a letter of support for the 4-H building renovation project.