March 28, 2023 at 5:20 p.m.
Commissioners looking at new plan
Joint session to discuss issue is scheduled for April 5
Commissioners looking at new plan
By Bailey Cline-
Commissioners are looking into creating a capital improvement plan.
Jay County Commissioners discussed the idea Monday. They also noted a joint meeting at 6 p.m. April 5 with Jay County Council and Jay County Redevelopment Commission, which will include speaking with Jason Semler of accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly about the county’s economic development funds.
Commissioner Brian McGalliard explained he had talked with county attorney Wes Schemenaur about potential projects that could be included in a capital improvement plan. County officials have been discussing implementing a new plan for economic development funds following commissioners’ decision to rescind the county’s five-year economic development plan Feb. 13. (In 2020, commissioners, council and county municipalities approved a five-year plan for economic development income tax dollars put together by Jay County Development Corporation. It set priorities of using such funds for spec buildings, developing industrial land, acquiring land for industrial, residential and commercial use, investing in downtown, revolving loans for local businesses, blight eradication and as a match for grants like the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings program.)
McGalliard referenced potential projects the county could include in a plan, such as constructing a new recycling center for Jay County Solid Waste Management District, a new barn for Jay County Highway Department or a multi-faceted building for Jay Emergency Medical Service, Jay County Health Department and Jay County Coroner’s Office.
Answering a question from commissioner Chad Aker, Schemenaur confirmed a capital improvement plan could replace the former five-year economic development plan.
McGalliard said the county receives just over $1 million in economic development income tax (EDIT) funds annually. According to McGalliard, more than $415,000 of that amount is allocated to municipalities as follows: $297,000 for Portland, $89,028 for Dunkirk, $21,197 for Redkey, $6,514 for Pennville, $2,026 for Bryant.
He listed off other allocations, which included an agreement with Jay County Humane Society for animal control ($55,000), contributions to various entities as well as JCDC’s annual budget, which is set this year at $210,000. Those allocations come out to a total of $394,500, he said, leaving $242,467 remaining for capital projects.
“You can’t get anything done with that,” interjected Aker.
McGalliard said 75% of those dollars should be going toward capital improvement projects according to state statute.
“We want a capital improvement plan, but we have less than 25% of the money that we collect left to do anything,” he said.
Schemenaur noted municipalities are given a certain amount of EDIT funds. McGalliard agreed but explained he isn’t sure how much the county is legally required to allocate for them.
“Other counties give a percentage, but it’s a far smaller percentage,” he said. “I mean, we’re giving away 40% of our money, the county’s funds, right off the bat to municipalities.”
Commissioner Rex Journay said he’s curious why the county allocates so much to organizations in the community. McGalliard said that’s why he pointed out the old five-year plan is based on an outdated state statute. Schemenaur noted that some items included in the old five-year economic development plan, such as allocating $50,000 to John Jay Center for Learning, could be argued as a contribution to economic development.
“It sounds to me like we’ve taken our EDIT monies and just put it into our budget and said that’s how we’re going to satisfy things rather than having somebody (work on) a plan,” said Journay.
He added that the county should take a look into why it isn’t investing 75% of its funds into capital improvement projects.
“Most counties I researched (don’t) have a third entity, such as JCDC, put (the plan) together. It’s put together by the commissioners, or the joint commissioners-council,” McGalliard said. “JCDC is a recipient of that money, and they put the plan together. That seemed kind of odd to me.”
McGalliard noted the upcoming meeting with Semler, which he said would highlight economic development funds. Following that discussion, he said, commissioners and council may want to discuss how it would like to move forward with its economic development investments.
In related business, commissioners OK’d giving $8,000 in economic development funds from Bitter Ridge Wind Farm to Jay County 4-H. The money was previously accounted for in the five-year economic development plan.
Journay pointed out the organization has raised money in the past for its projects at the request of county officials. Aker noted a number of children in the community are involved in 4-H, and McGalliard, referencing the group's financials, added that it also needs the funds.
Also, commissioners signed a $1,163,035.20 claim for the purchase of about 68 acres along Indiana 67 within Portland city limits. Plans are to use the land, which will be paid for using federal coronavirus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, for future construction projects, such as creating infrastructure for housing, a multi-faceted building for public safety or a new Jay County Highway Department building. County officials will be closing on the purchase likely sometime this week.
In other business, commissioners:
•Signed several other claims, including a $17,858.58 claim — it will be split in half between Dunkirk and the county — for a new roof with a 20-year warranty for the building shared by Jay Emergency Medical Service and Dunkirk Fire Department
•Established polling placing for the May 2 municipal primary election as follows: Dunkirk 1 and Dunkirk 3 at West Jay Community Center; Wayne 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 at Jay Community Center and Penn at Pennville Community Center.
•Decided not to add restoration services, an extra roughly $59,000, onto work being completed on the stained glass in Jay County Courthouse. Bigelow Glass, which recently removed and began repairing the glass, was selected in January 2022 to fix separation between panels.
•OK’d Arch Bridge Kroozers to use Jay County Courthouse restrooms from 1 to 6 p.m. during the group’s car show May 20.
•Gave permission to veteran affairs officer Cliff Moser to raise the burial and headstone allowance for veterans by $200. He noted the amount has not increased for at least 28 years.
Jay County Commissioners discussed the idea Monday. They also noted a joint meeting at 6 p.m. April 5 with Jay County Council and Jay County Redevelopment Commission, which will include speaking with Jason Semler of accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly about the county’s economic development funds.
Commissioner Brian McGalliard explained he had talked with county attorney Wes Schemenaur about potential projects that could be included in a capital improvement plan. County officials have been discussing implementing a new plan for economic development funds following commissioners’ decision to rescind the county’s five-year economic development plan Feb. 13. (In 2020, commissioners, council and county municipalities approved a five-year plan for economic development income tax dollars put together by Jay County Development Corporation. It set priorities of using such funds for spec buildings, developing industrial land, acquiring land for industrial, residential and commercial use, investing in downtown, revolving loans for local businesses, blight eradication and as a match for grants like the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Community Crossings program.)
McGalliard referenced potential projects the county could include in a plan, such as constructing a new recycling center for Jay County Solid Waste Management District, a new barn for Jay County Highway Department or a multi-faceted building for Jay Emergency Medical Service, Jay County Health Department and Jay County Coroner’s Office.
Answering a question from commissioner Chad Aker, Schemenaur confirmed a capital improvement plan could replace the former five-year economic development plan.
McGalliard said the county receives just over $1 million in economic development income tax (EDIT) funds annually. According to McGalliard, more than $415,000 of that amount is allocated to municipalities as follows: $297,000 for Portland, $89,028 for Dunkirk, $21,197 for Redkey, $6,514 for Pennville, $2,026 for Bryant.
He listed off other allocations, which included an agreement with Jay County Humane Society for animal control ($55,000), contributions to various entities as well as JCDC’s annual budget, which is set this year at $210,000. Those allocations come out to a total of $394,500, he said, leaving $242,467 remaining for capital projects.
“You can’t get anything done with that,” interjected Aker.
McGalliard said 75% of those dollars should be going toward capital improvement projects according to state statute.
“We want a capital improvement plan, but we have less than 25% of the money that we collect left to do anything,” he said.
Schemenaur noted municipalities are given a certain amount of EDIT funds. McGalliard agreed but explained he isn’t sure how much the county is legally required to allocate for them.
“Other counties give a percentage, but it’s a far smaller percentage,” he said. “I mean, we’re giving away 40% of our money, the county’s funds, right off the bat to municipalities.”
Commissioner Rex Journay said he’s curious why the county allocates so much to organizations in the community. McGalliard said that’s why he pointed out the old five-year plan is based on an outdated state statute. Schemenaur noted that some items included in the old five-year economic development plan, such as allocating $50,000 to John Jay Center for Learning, could be argued as a contribution to economic development.
“It sounds to me like we’ve taken our EDIT monies and just put it into our budget and said that’s how we’re going to satisfy things rather than having somebody (work on) a plan,” said Journay.
He added that the county should take a look into why it isn’t investing 75% of its funds into capital improvement projects.
“Most counties I researched (don’t) have a third entity, such as JCDC, put (the plan) together. It’s put together by the commissioners, or the joint commissioners-council,” McGalliard said. “JCDC is a recipient of that money, and they put the plan together. That seemed kind of odd to me.”
McGalliard noted the upcoming meeting with Semler, which he said would highlight economic development funds. Following that discussion, he said, commissioners and council may want to discuss how it would like to move forward with its economic development investments.
In related business, commissioners OK’d giving $8,000 in economic development funds from Bitter Ridge Wind Farm to Jay County 4-H. The money was previously accounted for in the five-year economic development plan.
Journay pointed out the organization has raised money in the past for its projects at the request of county officials. Aker noted a number of children in the community are involved in 4-H, and McGalliard, referencing the group's financials, added that it also needs the funds.
Also, commissioners signed a $1,163,035.20 claim for the purchase of about 68 acres along Indiana 67 within Portland city limits. Plans are to use the land, which will be paid for using federal coronavirus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, for future construction projects, such as creating infrastructure for housing, a multi-faceted building for public safety or a new Jay County Highway Department building. County officials will be closing on the purchase likely sometime this week.
In other business, commissioners:
•Signed several other claims, including a $17,858.58 claim — it will be split in half between Dunkirk and the county — for a new roof with a 20-year warranty for the building shared by Jay Emergency Medical Service and Dunkirk Fire Department
•Established polling placing for the May 2 municipal primary election as follows: Dunkirk 1 and Dunkirk 3 at West Jay Community Center; Wayne 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 at Jay Community Center and Penn at Pennville Community Center.
•Decided not to add restoration services, an extra roughly $59,000, onto work being completed on the stained glass in Jay County Courthouse. Bigelow Glass, which recently removed and began repairing the glass, was selected in January 2022 to fix separation between panels.
•OK’d Arch Bridge Kroozers to use Jay County Courthouse restrooms from 1 to 6 p.m. during the group’s car show May 20.
•Gave permission to veteran affairs officer Cliff Moser to raise the burial and headstone allowance for veterans by $200. He noted the amount has not increased for at least 28 years.
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