Pulaski County Council approves short-term communications contract, tables EMS vehicle request and signs off on sheriff’s jail report

Pulaski County’s council elected Ken Boswell president, heard a vendor presentation and approved several short-term financial steps during its Jan. 12 meeting.

The council voted to authorize a master services agreement with Not Your Parents Media, a communications firm introduced by Max Troyer. “My name is Max Troyer. I’m the chief strategy officer and cofounder of Not Your Parents Media,” Troyer said, describing the firm as “a digital strategy communications firm” that offers digital, print and text marketing and a month-to-month contract with a 30‑day cancellation policy. A council member moved to accept the contract and fund it through Nathan’s office; the motion was seconded and the council proceeded with the vote.

The contract was presented to the council as a low-cost, short-term option designed to build county-owned communications channels and improve public information about county actions and economic development. Troyer told the council the firm’s approach would let the county “transparently explain decisions, provide context, and maintain trust in real time.” Several members asked for more time to review details but the motion moved to a vote and the council approved the short-term agreement.

Sheriff’s office report and facilities needs

Sheriff Chris (identified in the meeting transcript by name) presented the quarterly jail and commissary report required by recent law changes. He told the council the commissary balance is “quite a bit higher than what we had last year” and cited revenue from housing federal and state prisoners as a material source of funds to the general fund. The speaker also said the jail shows maintenance needs: inspections flagged shower and plumbing problems and suggested that in 10–15 years the county should consider options including substantial repairs or a new facility. He said he will obtain quotes for repairs and bring them back to the council for direction.

After discussion, the council moved and approved a motion to accept the sheriff’s 2025 year-end report.

EMS vehicle request tabled

An EMS representative asked the council to appropriate funds to purchase a used vehicle to operate as an ALS non‑transport unit for on-scene triage and fire‑standby duty. The representative said the department already has many of the supplies needed and described state restrictions that prevent staff from stocking personal vehicles; converting the vehicle into a take-home unit would require a handbook policy change.

Council members raised budgeting and motor‑pool questions and noted a pending feasibility study that could affect ambulance and EMS planning. Because legal and handbook changes remain unresolved, the council moved and seconded a motion to table the EMS vehicle appropriation for further review; the motion carried.

Small transfers and administrative items

The council approved a $220 transfer from schools, meetings and seminars to Internet services to keep CDC/department offices connected while IT work is completed. The council also discussed a pay-rate matrix change for EMS base-rate increases and approved the recommended adjustments.

Legal briefing on Mammoth Pastures abatement

Nathan (the presenter who provided the legal briefing) gave a detailed explanation responding to public questions about a large economic-development payment tied to the Mammoth Pastures project and cited multiple Indiana code chapters in his analysis. He said some statutes cited in a public email do not, in his reading, apply to the county’s economic-development payment structure and argued the county’s approach differs from tax‑increment financing and other statutory regimes. He also explained how abatements and land reclassification affect tax rates and levy calculations and said, at the end of his discussion, that several of the earlier claims lacked supporting statutory citations.

Public comment: Mammoth Solar, payments and meeting times

Several residents raised concerns during public comment. Sherry Fagner urged the council to consider “the long lasting repercussions” of decisions, said she had documented trespassing by Mammoth Solar employees and criticized repeated 20‑year abatements. Commissioner Jenny Knebel said she had found three outstanding developer payments that had been overdue since March and urged the council to establish clearer tracking and follow‑up procedures to collect payments and any applicable interest. Another public commenter urged council members to file conflict‑of‑interest disclosures where appropriate; the presiding officer limited the floor for personal accusations and directed alleged violations to the appropriate enforcement channels.

Other public commenters asked the council to consider returning evening meetings to a 7 p.m. start to increase public attendance and asked whether solar developers would be required to repair damage to non-solar roads caused by heavy equipment.

What happens next

The EMS vehicle request will return after legal and handbook questions are resolved and pending the feasibility study; the sheriff said he will bring repair quotes for jail showers and other maintenance to the council when available. Council business concluded and members adjourned the meeting.

(Reporting based on the Pulaski County Council transcript of the Jan. 12, 2026 meeting.)