County ARPA options mulled

American Rescue Plan Act dollars may be able to be reallocated.

Commissioner Duane Monroe made a motion Monday to stop infrastructure planning on the county’s 68 acres in Portland. Commissioners chose to table the issue until they can speak with their attorney.

In 2023, the county purchased 68 acres along Indiana 67 on the west side of Portland. The county also hired planning firm Rundell, Ernstberger and Associates on a $395,000 contract to develop a plan for building infrastructure on the land.

Jay County Council and commissioners agreed in November 2024 to enter into an inter-local agreement with Jay County Redevelopment Commission for the remaining $1.24 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Those federal coronavirus relief dollars had to be allocated by the end of 2024. Per guidelines, they're also supposed to be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.

No bids were submitted in September for the infrastructure project. Plans had been to begin negotiating directly with vendors.

Monroe talked Monday about a recent meeting between county officials and consulting firm Baker Tilly in which they discussed whether they could reallocate the American Rescue Plan Act dollars. He mentioned the meeting was intended to reassure county attorney Wes Schemenaur, who was not present Monday, that the county wouldn’t lose its federal funding if it were to be shifted to a different project.

County auditor Emily Franks said Baker Tilly presented three options for Jay County, with the group selecting an option that would involve reallocating funds. She said the firm plans to review the county’s obligations and suggest a viable solution.

Monroe said Schemenaur indicated that if the county wishes to terminate its planning with Rundell, Ernstberger and Associates, both commissioners and redevelopment commission would need to make a motion to that effect. He then made a motion to stop the work. His motion died for lack of a second.

Commissioners president Chad Aker said he would prefer to hear from Schemenaur on the issue, with commissioner Doug Horn and Monroe agreeing. Monroe noted that the redevelopment commission could vote on the topic at its meeting Dec. 18 and commissioners could revisit the discussion at their next meeting.

Aker pointed to Senate Enrolled Act 1 and potential tax cuts in the near future.

“We could either sit back and say, ‘Oh, we’re going to have to start cutting everything, you know, we’re at the state’s mercy on this,’ or we could be proactive on this and try to create growth, and this is the only way that we’re getting more tax dollars in over top of this SEA 1, is by increasing your population and increasing your assessed value,” he said.

He also pointed to the investment already made on the project.

“It’s not just the county that needs the housing, it’s nationwide that needs housing,” he said.

In other business, commissioners:

•Heard a request from Darrick Plummer of Pennville Partners to help pay for drainage infrastructure needs on part of his new mobile home park. Commissioners suggested Plummer, county surveyor Brad Daniels and Schemenaur sit down to discuss the situation.

•OK’d highway superintendent Bob Howell to buy a $143,768 Western Star 7X chassis from Fyda Freightliner of Cincinnati, Ohio.

•Approved extending Jay County Highway Department workers’ deadline for using compensation time to the end of March.

•OK’d paying $10,031.10 to LEAP Managed IT for updates to wiring and equipment at the highway department.

•Tabled discussion on whether to purchase a new air compressor for the highway department.

•Discussed terminating a lease with the City of Portland for office space at Community Resource Center. The space had been used by community coordinator Darlesia Lee prior to the decision not to renew a contract with her employer, East Central Indiana Regional Planning District. Jay County Development Corporation plans to bring back its community developer/grant writer role and the city has already approved a lease agreement for the office.

•Learned the county did not receive a Community Crossings grant for road paving work on county road 400 South.

•Heard a request from Howell to purchase three snow plows, pointing to a plow from 2012 and two plows from 2015 needing to be replaced. He estimated the snow plows to cost between $10,000 and $13,000 apiece. Commissioners asked Howell to return next meeting with quotes.

•Paid a $157,200 claim to Millwright Solutions for exterior work at Jay County Courthouse.

•Learned a new mechanic started for the highway department Dec. 1.