Pulaski Commissioners to Discuss Proposed Wind Turbine Ban, Coroner’s Fees Tonight

Pulaski County Commissioners: Mike McClure, Jerry Locke, Kenny Becker

A potential ban on wind turbines will be considered by the Pulaski County Commissioners tonight. The county’s advisory plan commission recently recommended banning wind energy convergence systems, over concerns about the safety and welfare of the community, flicker issues, and local fire departments’ ability to provide fire protection to the structures.

Building Inspector and Plan Administrator Doug Hoover is scheduled to discuss the plan commission’s recommendation during tonight’s commissioners meeting. The commissioners could accept the recommendation, reject it, or send it back to the plan commission for further revisions. Adjustments may be desired, since the language justifying the ban wasn’t reviewed by the county attorney before it was approved by the plan commission.

In other business tonight, Coroner John Behny and Chief Deputy Jon Frain will continue discussing a set of proposed fees. They’ve been researching the possibility of charging for additional copies of certain documents, like autopsy reports, toxicology reports, or coroner’s verdicts. The county could also charge a fee for cremation permits.

EMS Director Bryan Corn will discuss ambulance repair tonight, and Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston will give updates on the courthouse elevator replacement, as well as the conversion of the former Winamac Masonic Lodge into a county morgue.

Tonight’s Pulaski County Commissioners meeting starts at 6:00 EDT at the Pulaski County Highway Garage. It follows a closed executive session, during which the commissioners will discuss courthouse security.

Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn has been urging county officials to make improvements, after few of the recommendations made by the county’s security committee back in 2016 were actually implemented. Some county officials have suggested moving Circuit Court and other government offices out of the courthouse, as an alternative.