Jay County commissioners approve contracts, ordinance and funding claims; prioritize parking and housing feasibility study

The Jay County Commissioners met April 10 in the commissioners' room and took a series of unanimous actions on courthouse repairs, ordinances, contracts and community funding requests.

Commissioners approved a Nu-Flow trenchless drain-lining installation for the north end of the courthouse after Laux Plumbing quoted $18,400 for the repair, with the contractor estimating installation within a month. The board then adopted Ordinance 2023-06 to increase the veteran burial allowance from $100 to $300 while leaving the $100 headstone allowance unchanged; that motion passed unanimously.

A deobligation agreement to return unused federal grant dollars for a Lifestream project (previously supplemented with CARES funds) was approved unanimously, and a funding request from Jay County Scout Facilities was narrowed: the commissioners recommended to the council funding for the immediate parking lot paving only, approving a recommendation of $10,974 to cover roughly 20 additional spaces.

In transportation matters, the commissioners approved an unofficial detour for portions of IN-67 and US-27 related to spring 2024 work and took asphalt emulsion and dump-truck bids under advisement to decide at a later meeting. The board also approved an RQAW contract with the City of Portland for a Beacon Heights water feasibility study, a joint contract split with Portland costing $4,550 total and charged to EDIT funds.

Sheriff Larry Newton presented the 2022 annual jail report and outlined unfunded needs — water softeners, paving and re-keying of the facility — and asked the board to consider ARP funds for repairs; he also noted the county’s inmate meal costs and scheduled a Spillman meeting on April 19.

The board approved the final HELP! strategic investment plan and a $2,000 EDIT claim to the Jay County Historical Society. The commissioners approved a five-year Patriot Vending LLC contract for courthouse vending (machine scope reduced to remove beverages), a $15,000 request to Arts Place for Arts in the Parks serving Pennville, Dunkirk and Portland, and a $5,000 Chamber of Commerce request to be paid from Economic Development WindFarm funds. The meeting concluded with approval of multiple vendor claims and routine dockets — including Matrix annual support ($17,625.60), Baker Tilly invoices ($18,457.50 and $21,634.31), Jay County Tourism Bureau claim ($120,346.67 from Innkeepers Tax), Jay County Humane Society quarterly claim ($13,750), Five Star Commercial Roofing ($17,858, to be reimbursed half by Dunkirk) and other routine claims — and adjourned at 11:25 a.m.

All motions recorded in the minutes passed by unanimous vote on April 10.