Development project set as priority

A project just west of Portland will be the county government priority for a state grant program.

Jay County Commissioners on Monday declared development of the 68 acres acquired by Jay County earlier this year as the county’s priority for the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) 2.0 initiative.

Aker noted the county needs to submit projects for the grant program to its regional group by Nov. 17.

Consulting firm REA told commissioners it wouldn’t be a problem to allow farming on the ground for another year, added Aker. Commissioners agreed to advertise a one-year lease for the farm ground in 2024. (Per the purchasing agreement, the former owners farmed the ground for the remainder of this year.) 

Also Monday, commissioners agreed to contribute $300 to individuals or $600 to families with Health Savings Accounts on the county’s high-deductible health plan in 2024. The move comes as an incentive for employees to create HSAs, which will be a new perk to the county’s health insurance next year.

They also signed into effect an ordinance raising the permit fee for horse-drawn vehicles from $60 to $120, and creating a late fee of $25 if paid after May 15.

In other business, commissioners:

•Learned about an opportunity for local residents to learn more about the election process and how to run for office at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 9 in Jay County Courthouse auditorium, an event offered by Jay County Purdue Extension Office and Jay County Clerk’s Office.

•OK’d buying a light bar and other accessories for Jay County Highway Department’s new pickup truck from American Eagle Equipment for $4,136.76. The purchase comes with a 10-year warranty.

•Paid a claim from Milestone Contractors for overlay work on county road 200 South and Blaine Pike. Approximately $56,878.25 of the work was covered by a Community Crossings grant through Indiana Department of Transportation, with the remaining $14,315.75 coming out of the highway department’s budget.

•Received a quarterly report from John Hemmelgarn of Jay/Portland Building and Planning. Approximately 287 permits have been issued since January, with 17 of those permits for new homes in Jay County.

•OK’d Jay County Health Department to continue utilizing Josh Atkinson as its legal representative in 2024.

•Approved a lease agreement with the City of Portland for Kimball’s office at Community Resource Center for about $350 per month.

•Paid a $50,000 claim for the new Brandeis Kumasu, an excavator for Jay County Surveyor’s Office.

•Approved the purchase of a $6,640 furnace for Purdue Extension Office of Jay County from Laux Plumbing and Heating.

•OK’d a passthrough of $458,456 in state funding to pay for  four new buses for LifeStream Services.

•Decided not to appoint a member to the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission.

•Paid a $899.40 claim from Indiana Bond Bank for administrative fees with its fuel budget program.