County will change its plan again

Jay County’s capital improvement plan is changing.

Commissioners rescinded their capital improvement plan, re-approved it as a capital improvement project list and asked county attorney Wes Schemenaur to review a more fleshed-out plan during Monday’s meeting.

Commissioner Brian McGalliard explained the document approved in August only included the project list, not the full plan with funding allocations spelled out. He referenced the five-year economic development income tax (EDIT) capital improvement plan rescinded in February. (The plan created by Jay County Development Corporation had been in place since county officials approved it 2020. Commissioners rescinded it early this year.)

McGalliard suggested creating a similar plan to JCDC’s plan but making changes such as updating dollar amounts with new estimates from Indiana Department of Local Government Finance and specifying projects and their allocations. (Jay County will receive an estimated $675,794 in EDIT dollars in 2024.) 

Commissioners asked Schemenaur to review state regulations to ensure that they are following requirements.

The previous plan listed categories in which the funding could be spent, including for road construction, as a match for state or federal grants or to support JCDC, Jay County Chamber of Commerce, John Jay Center for Learning, East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center or Hoosier Opportunity. It also listed possibilities for the funding to support a county revolving loan fund to support business development within the county, support the development of housing subdivisions within the county or support events organizations that contribute to quality of life through local amenities, population attraction or business development.

The new plan would have specific projects listed. There are currently seven projects on the list: creating an initial loop for broadband, or approximately 233 miles of fiber internet, for $10 million with Main Stream Fiber (the county’s match would be $2 million); adding a new garage extension to Jay County Highway Department for $2.2 million; building a new facility for Jay County Solid Waste Management District for $1.6 million; constructing a public safety building for use by Jay Emergency Medical Service, Jay County Health Department and Jay County Coroner’s Office for $3 million; planning development of the 68 acres owned by the county within western Portland city limits along Indiana 67 for $200,000; purchasing new body cameras for law enforcement for $102,000; and investing in new radios for Jay Emergency Medical Service and Jay County Sheriff’s Office for $475,000.

Commissioners have noted the project list is a living document, meaning more projects may be added at any time.

McGalliard also recommended adding in a copy of Indiana Code 6-3.6-6-9.5, which states a county, city or town must adopt a capital improvement plan to receive “revenue to be allocated for economic development purposes.” 

According to state code, the plan must identify and describe projects that would be funded by other additional revenue allocated for economic development purposes, give estimated total costs of each project, identify all sources of funding expected to be used for each project and lay out the planning, development and construction schedules for each project. The plan must also be approved for at least two years and must incorporate projects that cost at least 75% of the “fractional amount of additional revenue allocated for economic development purposes that is expected to be received by the county,” according to Indiana Code.

Similar to the JCDC plan rescinded in February, it would also include copies of separate capital improvement plans created by Jay County municipalities. McGalliard noted it would be up to those municipalities to update their own plans as needed.