Jay County approves up to $10,000 to cover Community Corrections rent, will pay two employees' employer health insurance

Yvette Weiland, director of Community Corrections, asked the Jay County Commissioners on Aug. 12 for help covering the program’s remaining 2024 rent, saying the program now averages about 40 participants, down from roughly 80 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is operating on user fees and state grants.

Commissioner Rex Journay moved that the county pay the employer portion of two Community Corrections employees’ health insurance and cover the remainder of the program’s 2024 rent, up to $10,000, from the commissioners’ budget. Commissioner Brian McGalliard seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

According to Weiland’s presentation, the outstanding rent for the rest of 2024 is about $1,500; the motion sets an upper limit to ensure the program can meet immediate occupancy costs while staff pursue longer-term relocation plans. Commissioner Chad Aker said the long-term goal is to relocate Community Corrections to another county building once a new JEMS/Health/Coroner building is completed.

The action was recorded as an expenditure from the commissioners’ budget; commissioners did not specify a repayment source or a formal budget amendment beyond approving the payment at the meeting. The motion was approved without recorded dissent and no further conditions were stated.

The commissioners handled the motion as routine business and did not schedule further public hearings on the payment; Weiland will continue operating the program from existing revenue streams alongside the one-time assistance approved Aug. 12.