Officials discuss federal funds

County officials are still debating what to do with American Rescue Plan funds.

Jay County Commissioners and Jay County Council met Wednesday to discuss how to spend nearly $4 million allotted from the American Rescue Plan Act. Without clarification to some critical questions, officials didn’t make much progress on their plan.

Commissioners and council met in August and proposed several investment options, including: affordable housing, daycare, cybersecurity, broadband, ventilation or repair projects at county buildings, local businesses and upgrades to the radios for Jay Emergency Medical Service and local law enforcement.

County auditor Anna Culy noted Wednesday she received an email from Paige Sansone of consulting firm Baker Tilly, who said most of the county’s ideas are considered OK under the funding guidelines. (The radio project was the only idea that would not qualify.) 

Per the guidelines, Culy said, proposed housing needs to be affordable. Sansone also asked for more information regarding childcare, meaning it is a possibility, Culy said.

County officials then discussed the need for childcare in the county.

Council member Jeanne Houchins brought up The Portland Foundation and its Lily Endowment Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow initiative, specifically its task force targeting education and workforce development. She noted the group will be surveying existing daycares to see what helps them run smoothly.

Jay County Development Corporation executive director Travis Richards noted his team has also been surveying employees and employers in the community. Out of about 80 employee respondents, more than 30% said they have missed work at least one time or more each month because of childcare issues. Some 90% have had trouble focusing on work as a result of the same problem. About 24% have problems finding any childcare at all, 24% state they have issues finding childcare they can afford and 32% have difficulties finding childcare close to home or work. (Richards added surveys are still coming in and he will have more data when officials meet again.)

“I think that demonstrates the need pretty well among our workforce,” Richards said, stating that other surrounding counties also struggle with the same issue.

Council member Ray Newton suggested a 24-hour daycare. 

“A majority of daycare is daytime only, maybe some afternoon, but there’s people that work at night that they struggle to find someone to watch their child,” he said.

A potential location for daycare facilities could be in Westlawn Elementary or Judge Haynes Elementary, Houchins added. She added the county probably doesn’t want to own the daycare building. Newton stated he doesn’t think the county should be involved, and other officials –– such as commissioner Chad Aker –– agreed.

“I think the biggest challenge too is finding someone who’s going to be able to run and operate the business and knows what they’re doing,” Aker said.

Houchins noted childcare can be costly and not all residents have the funding available for it. She suggested the county could subsidize a certain amount each year for low-income families needing childcare.

Aker mentioned the need for a new Jay Emergency Medical Service base and health department building. County officials are applying for a grant offered through Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs –– commissioners agreed to allocate up to $10,000 toward a wage study required for the grant –– in hopes of constructing the new facility. He said an initial price estimate for the building came in around $2.26 million and said he would like to see what extra costs can be reduced. He noted the project could also use funds from the county’s allocation of American Rescue Plan monies.

 Also Wednesday, officials questioned the definition of affordable housing.

“We don’t want Section 8 housing,” Aker said.

Richards explained there are several levels of housing available, from luxury to low-income. He said he is not sure what is considered affordable housing in the American Rescue Plan Act guidelines.

Culy said she would be in touch with Baker Tilly to answer the group’s questions, and she said she may invite Sansone to the next meeting.

Aker also brought up a request from highway superintendent Donnie Corn to extend fiber optic internet to Jay County Highway Department headquarters at the intersection of county roads 100 East and 200 North. He added the service could also be extended to Jay County Country Living (formerly known as Jay County Retirement Center). The project would cost approximately $40,000. 

Houchins stated she does not want to invest the funding in countywide broadband, acknowledging her access in rural Bryant is not ideal. She said companies should be investing federal dollars they have received for improving internet access.

Council and commissioners, absent commissioner Rex Journay and council members Harold Towell and Ted Champ, agreed to seek bids for a new ventilation system at Jay County Sheriff’s Office. (They did not yet commit funds toward the project.)