County OKs more $$ for JCDC

More funding and a new contract are on the way.

Jay County Commissioners approved a $50,000 request — the remainder of Jay County Development Corporation’s budget for the year — at their meeting Tuesday.

The decision also put in motion plans for a contract between JCDC and the county to cover the remainder of the year.

JCDC hired its new executive director Ceann Bales in early April. The county approved $100,000 in funding for the organization in January, with a contract currently in place between the two entities through June 30.

“When we initially met, we hadn’t hired Ceann yet, we didn’t know what our budget was going to look like,” explained Jay County Development Corporation board president Angela Paxson on Monday. 

Earlier this month, JCDC’s board of directors approved its 2025 budget at $196,016.65. The organization had a total of $172,150 pledged for the year at that time, leaving it at a deficit of just under $24,000.

The board planned to request enough funding from the county to put in reserve to cover six months of expenses, approximately $116,330. (The organization spent down its reserves in 2024 as it did not receive funding from the county during a contract dispute.)

“I do realize that your funding is tight this year, you’ve got other projects and other entities, and $140,000 is more than we need as a cushion at this point,” Paxson said to commissioners Monday. “It’s taken us over 20 years to build up to that, so I can understand.”

She explained the JCDC office costs about $10,000 to operate each month. She also pointed out the board would like to compensate JCDC executive assistant Jodi Hayes, who Paxson said hasn’t received a raise in two years and “kept the doors open” amid the board’s search for a new director following Travis Richards’ resignation in November.

Paxson then requested $50,000 for the remainder of JCDC’s budget for the year, which would cover the deficit as well as enough for two months of reserve dollars.

“I’ve got no issues with that, you want to cover your budget shortfall,” responded commissioners president Chad Aker. “Again, I agree, as far as giving the full six months, yeah, we’re tight right now, but also, just showing that we’re working together, I don’t have an issue with providing an extra two and a half months or two months or whatever for additional funding.”

He noted the organization may approach commissioners for funding as needed to pay for projects, saying commissioners will fund those efforts. Aker also voiced support for JCDC’s new director and the county’s relationship with the organization moving forward.

“I’ve got full faith and confidence in Ceann, I think that, you know, she’s going to follow through on this stuff, and I think it’s going to be a success, and this also shows that we want to work together,” said Aker.

Commissioners then approved the $50,000 request. Plans are to begin drafting a contract with JCDC for the rest of 2025.

In related business, commissioners agreed to push back the economic development income tax (EDIT) request deadline for 2026 by another month.

Request were originally due by June 13, with commissioners to host a special meeting at 4 p.m. June 25 to review requests and select projects to be paid for out of next year’s budget.

Paxson asked for an extension Monday, noting that JCDC hadn’t received notice about the deadline for 2026.

“I think it was just an oversight that we didn’t receive ours, because we received our funding in January,” Paxson said.

County auditor Emily Franks pointed out the county’s budget process has been delayed by a month because of various questions with the state’s finances surrounding Senate Enrolled Act 1, which made various changes to taxes among other items. Commissioners then decided to extend their original EDIT request deadline for all entities accordingly.

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For more news from the commissioners’ meeting, see Thursday’s newspaper.