County to look at phone service option

County officials are considering a change in phone service for county departments.

Jay County Commissioners OK’d Aaron Shaff of Level365 to do an analysis on the county’s system during a meeting Monday.

Level365 started as a private company out of Indianapolis in 2009. It offers unified communications, or a cloud program, to connect office phones, computers and cell phones through a common app. It services eight Indiana counties, including Benton, Howard and Miami counties. Shaff highlighted a few of the company’s features, which include call forwarding and a voicemail-to-email option.

Answering a question from Jay County prosecutor Wes Schemenaur, Shaff confirmed the company could offer on-site training.

He requested permission to evaluate the county’s current system in order to accommodate its needs. Jay County currently pays about $600 a month for phone and internet services and utilizes Allstar Communications and Community Fiber Solutions. Shaff confirmed once started, the new program could begin operating within 30 days.

Commissioners gave Shaff the OK to do an analysis of the county’s current system.

Commissioners also opened and took under advisement quotes from companies to work with commissioners on creating a plan for the 68 acres the county agreed to purchase in February. County officials bought the land, which is located along Indiana 67 on the western edge of Portland, with about $1.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Plans for the property have included a space to build infrastructure for new housing as well as a multi-faceted public safety building.

Aker noted commissioners would review their options and select a company at the next meeting.

Commissioners learned about a recent gas leak inside the wall at Jay Emergency Medical Service’s Dunkirk base, which shares a building with Dunkirk Fire Department. Jay Emergency Medical Service director Gary Barnett noted the leak was fixed immediately.

Barnett also shared June’s monthly expenses and income, which came to $194,815.18 and $91,562.75, respectively. Barnett pointed out employees were paid three times in June and a long-time staff member retired.

He noted one of the ambulances will be remounted soon. The work, estimated at about $180,000, will take about 90 days to complete once started.

Commissioners approved adding Kyle Gerlach, a new Jay Emergency Medical Service director, to the county credit card.

In other business, commissioners Rex Journay, Chad Aker and Brian McGalliard:

•Approved claims, including a quarterly $13,750 claim for Jay County Humane Society to provide animal control — commissioners noted the organization’s new facility is expected to open sometime in October — and $850 for county assessor Robin Alberson to register for the Indiana County Assessor Association Conference.

•Agreed to create a letter of support for Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition’s opioid task force, which is applying for state funding to go toward its transitional housing project.

•Approved renewal of a redaction services agreement for Jay County Recorder’s Office. (Per the agreement, Computer Systems Inc. redacts social security numbers from public documents.) The agreement comes at a base price of $1,560, along with a rate of less than 1 cent  per page.

•Spoke with Jay County Council member Harold Towell about Jay County Country Living’s future. Towell argued the facility isn’t breaking even financially, with McGalliard saying it’s a service to the community. Aker noted the decision on its future includes council.

•Accepted a $75 from Portland Friends Church for Jay County Country Living.