Decisions needed on ARPA $

American Rescue Plan Act dollars need to be allocated by the end of the year.

With December only a few weeks away, options are limited.

Jay County Council was reminded Wednesday about the looming Dec. 31 deadline to allocate American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Use of the federal funding provided to aid in community responses to the COVID-19 pandemic must fall within certain guidelines, and the money must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.

“As you all know, we’re rapidly approaching the end of the year, we have to have it allocated,” said council president Matt Minnich. “We do not have any projects, I believe, that would be capable of having actually a contract in hand by the end of this year.”

He suggested the county approve an inter-local agreement with Jay County Redevelopment Commission to allocate the remaining American Rescue Plan Act dollars, which total just under $2.2 million.

County attorney Wes Schemenaur noted the process may be tricky to give redevelopment commission the funding.

“I don’t think we can just say, here’s $2.2 million dollars redevelopment commission, do some projects with it,” he said. “I think you’re going to have to have a project that has a dollar figure attached, or projects, it could be more than one, but my fear is we’re getting to the end of the line on that …”

He pointed to items on Jay County Commissioners’ capital improvement list and redevelopment commission’s economic development plan that have broad estimates attached.

Other projects that have been discussed as potential American Rescue Plan Act projects include building a multi-faceted public safety facility, purchasing new radios and related equipment for county emergency personnel and building infrastructure for broadband internet or housing.

Several of those projects have either come to a halt or likely won’t have a contract ready to sign before the December deadline, said Schemenaur.

“We’ve had a plan A, a plan B, a plan C; I don’t think they’re going to work,” he said. “So now it’s time to look at D, E and F.”

He advised council to meet with commissioners and the redevelopment commission to hash out how to spend the remaining funds. 

Minnich suggested council meet with commissioners at 6 p.m. Wednesday. (Redevelopment commission is scheduled to meet an hour prior in the same space — the auditorium at Jay County Courthouse.)

In related business, auditor Emily Franks reminded council about the need for her office and Jay County Treasurer’s Office to update financial software. Currently, their offices utilize outdated software that lacks customer support availability and software updates, among other issues.

She proposed purchasing Low Associates’ Windows Payroll Financial Software at $256,521 with an additional $70,000 in annual software maintenance. (The county currently pays $50,000 annually for software maintenance with its existing program.) She also suggested council could consider using American Rescue Plan Act funds for the purchase. Franks noted 69 other counties use Low Associates’ software, and she said her anticipated date for the switch to the new software would be July 1.

Council decided — absent Cindy Bracy and Jeanne Houchins — to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Hopes are to hold a joint session with commissioners.

Also Wednesday, council agreed unanimously after an earlier motion died for lack of a second to transfer $17,643 in commissioners’ budget from the group health insurance fund to workman’s compensation fund and $1,000 in Jay Superior Court’s budget from the overtime wages fund to the translator fund. 

The decisions initially had been lumped into one motion, but council later approved each transfer in separate motions. 

Franks explained this year’s workman’s compensation audit resulted in a substantially higher amount because of large raises given to employees and higher claims. After several seconds of silence, county clerk Jon Eads questioned what happens if the money isn’t transferred. Franks said the county would still owe the money. Sheriff Ray Newton told council the county needs workman’s compensation. 

“I’m not sure why we’re not … getting a second on this, but we need this,” he said. “I mean, you have some dangerous jobs out there, so we need to cover these employees.”

Addressing the $1,000 transfer, Franks noted the funds are transferred in anticipation of translation services to be provided for court proceedings.

In other business, council members Harold Towell, Dave Haines, Matt Minnich, Randy May and Faron Parr:

•Took no action on an additional appropriation for services provided by consulting firm Rundell, Ernstberger and Associates after a motion by Parr died for lack of a second. The company worked on plans for development the county’s 68 acres on the western edge of Portland.

•Learned about a proposal from consulting firm Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele and Associates to conduct a salary analysis and update the county compensation system. 

•Made the following other additional appropriations: $816,033.75 for work completed through an Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings grant; $50,000 for water leak repairs at Jay County Courthouse and $9,000 for courthouse-related costs; $25,000 for Jay County Health Department from an annual state grant; $3,900 for absentee voter board wages in Jay County Clerk’s budget; and $2,031.40 for equipment repair in Jay County surveyor’s budget.

•Approved various other transfers, including $20,000 in the commissioners’ budget from employer Public Employees’ Retirement Fund to juvenile secure detention, $13,000 (Towell opposing) in Jay County Country Living’s budget from the financial cook wages fund to county home part-time fund and $12,000 (Towell also opposing) in the same budget from the repairs and maintenance wages to county home part-time fund.