Commissioners consider board for facility

Changes may be coming for Jay County Country Living.

Jay County Commissioners discussed creating a board for the residential facility during their meeting Monday.

They also heard former director Melissa Blankley, who has been filling in the role since submitting her resignation in June, will be leaving the department next month.

Jay County officials recently created a feasibility committee to review the facility’s finances and determine whether it would be feasible for the county to continue operating.

Jay County Council president Jeanne Houchins explained the committee has met three times so far, and its members have talked about creating an official board to line up with Indiana Code 12-30-3-10. Per the state statute, she added, a board is only required for communities with more than 235,000 residents.

Houchins explained the board would oversee Jay County Country Living’s operations as well as its director. According to Indiana Code, boards for county retirement homes are in charge of fixing the facility’s salaries, supervising maintenance, operation and services as well as safeguarding the health, safety, welfare and the comfort of residents, reviewing and approving the facility’s annual budget, adopting rules and regulations for admissions to the facility subject to approval from commissioners, recommending to commissioners necessary repairs and improvements to the building and grounds, and other responsibilities. (Houchins clarified that the board would aid in creating the budget, but the ultimate decision would be up to council.)

Commissioner Brian McGalliard suggested getting county attorney Wes Schemenaur involved. Schemenaur noted that because the county does not meet the number of residents that would require a board, it doesn’t need to follow all of the guidelines but it could use Indiana Code as a template.

Commissioner Rex Journay asked how the board would impact the feasibility committee, with Houchins explaining the goal would be for the board to replace the committee and continue its work. She pointed out there are seven people on the committee currently, and Houchins has found seven individuals (three Democrats, four Republicans) interested in joining the board. They are Chris Nixon, Bob Ford, Nancy Cline, Becky Thornburg, Virginia Burkey and council members Harold Towell and Cindy Bracy. (Houchins recommended Bracy as president of the board.)

Jay County Country Living has 27 paying residents as of Monday.

“Since Melissa’s been in there, she’s really turned things around,” said Aker. “I guess the outpouring from the community, we’re getting a lot of donations out there. I’m hearing a lot of support out there … you’ve got the ones that want to close it down. I’m hearing more people want to keep it open. But you’ve got to realize too, that’s peoples’ homes out there.”

Commissioners accepted more than $700 in donations to Jay County Country Living received from the haunted house attraction on the grounds in October.

In related news, commissioners heard Blankley has been training part-time housekeeper Kristie Delaney to take over her responsibilities, specifically finances for Jay County Country Living. Blankley said she’s willing to stay until Dec. 22, at which point she plans to leave the facility.

Aker said the county would need to advertise for the position, but he suggested the Jay County Country Living board could decide who to hire once it is created. Regardless, he added, the facility will need someone trained to handle Blankley’s duties.

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For additional news from the commissioners’ meeting, see Thursday’s edition of The Commercial Review.