Boone County names Title VI coordinator to meet federal requirements, freeing highway grant funds

Boone County commissioners voted to designate Beth Copeland as the county's Title VI coordinator, a move county staff said is necessary to secure federal transportation funds passed through the Indiana Department of Transportation.

County highway staff told commissioners the county cannot receive one of two federal awards until it has formal Title VI and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance documents and a named Title VI coordinator on file with the state. Staff said the county previously relied on a variety of positions to handle Title VI duties and that the role must be a named individual listed on federal application materials.

The county's highway representative described the Title VI role as an individual who will work with MDOT/INDOT attorneys, provide training, accept and process discrimination complaints, and submit required reports. The presenter said the missing coordinator was holding up the release of federal funds for a highway project awarded in November and that other local agencies had received similar notices.

A commissioner moved to appoint Beth Copeland to the Title VI coordinator role; another commissioner seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. Commissioners discussed that the Title VI coordinator should be able to work across county departments and assist with documentation submission to the state.

The action was presented as a compliance step tied directly to eligibility for federal transportation funds; staff framed the appointment as an administrative remedy to an external federal requirement rather than a new policy change.

Commissioners did not state an implementation timeline beyond the appointment. Staff indicated the coordinator will work with the state attorney contact to complete the Title VI and ADA documentation required for the federal-awarded project.