Pulaski County Adopts Title VI Plan to Maintain Eligibility for Funds

Pulaski County CourthousePulaski County has updated its plans for maintaining compliance with Federal Title VI requirements.

A desk audit performed June 22nd of this year found the county to be non-compliant with some components of the federal law. Title VI is designed to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, among other things.

Pulaski County Attorney Kevin Tankersley says adopting a compliance plan has a few benefits to Pulaski County.

“To be in compliance with federal law, we need to enact it in order to not jeopardize any federal funding,” says Tankersley.

In addition to Pulaski County’s own policies, anyone contracting with the county to perform road maintenance, upgrades, and repairs is also required to maintain policies supporting workplace non-discrimination under Title VI.

After receiving some remarks from the state that Pulaski County was lacking compliance with certain portions of the law, a comprehensive plan was put in place to remedy local policy.

County Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston has been working to help complete the plan. He says they’re still working on a few things.

“We still have to meet and come up with an actual training plan – which we will probably do within the next week or so, so we can hold classes for all employees and make sure everyone is up to speed,” says Johnston. “Once that’s completed, all of our training materials will go to the auditor’s department. In that resolution, it names the Pulaski County auditor as the Title VI coordinator because this is all employment related.”

The Pulaski County Commissioners approved the comprehensive plan on Monday that looks to bring the county into compliance. INDOT will review the material and will provide a response in the near future.