Construction’s set to start today on a new elevator at the Pulaski County Courthouse. That will cause some changes for government business for the next several months.
Most public meetings, including county council and commissioners meetings, will now be held at the Pulaski County Highway Department Building. It’s at 1131 North U.S. 35 in Winamac. County officials announced the change Wednesday on Facebook.
The Pulaski County Advisory Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals have already moved their meetings to the Winamac Municipal Utility Complex. The moves are designed to keep the meetings accessible to those with disabilities, while the courthouse elevator is being replaced.
Similarly, Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn says he’ll once again use the training room at the Pulaski County Justice Center, if an individual can’t walk up the stairs to the courtroom. “The real struggle will be with jury trials,” he explained. “I don’t think I can exclude a juror who needs ADA facilities. If it’s just a witness, maybe we can adjourn, we’d cram 12 jurors in that room and the witness and all the parties. But if it’s a juror, I’ve had jurors raise that issue, ‘You have to accommodate me if I’m chosen for the jury.’ And perhaps parties don’t want an ADA person excluded.” Shurn told the county commissioners last week that he plans to talk to Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher about using her courtroom, when needed.
During last week’s meeting, the commissioners finalized the paperwork for the elevator replacement project. They authorized board president Kenny Becker to sign a contract with TL Kincaid Contracting for the work, once County Attorney Kevin Tankersley could make some revisions.
The work involves demolishing the existing elevator and installing a new one that’s fully ADA-compliant. It’s part of the county’s response to a class action lawsuit over an apparent lack of accessibility in the county’s government buildings.
