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Commissioners approve claims, permissions for courthouse AV outreach and local events; public comments press for data center rule
Summary
At the Feb. 18 meeting, La Porte County commissioners approved payroll and operating claims, granted permission to seek courtroom audiovisual funding, approved a road closure and an epilepsy-awareness stand, and heard public calls for a county data‑center ordinance and concerns about NDAs.
The La Porte County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 18 approved payroll and operating expense claims, granted several routine permissions and heard multiple public comments urging local action on data centers and transparency issues.
The county auditor presented payroll for the period ending Feb. 6 in the amount read as 1,622,587.48 and operating expense claims totaling $3,623,912.24; both were approved by voice vote. The board also granted permission to county officials to approach counsel about additional appropriations to update IT and audiovisual equipment in the circuit courtroom, after a court representative said two attempts to secure grant funding from the Indiana Office of Court Services were unsuccessful.
Commissioners approved travel for a JSC staff member's recertification trip to Louisville on March 13, authorized a brief road closure for the TRACE 5 Health annual triathlon (after review by county highway and the sheriff's department), and approved a request from Teresa Letner to set up a 'Purple Day' epilepsy-awareness stand outside the courthouse on March 26 (11 a.m.–4 p.m.).
During public comment, Goode Logwood urged the board to adopt an ordinance to regulate data centers "before they leak out into the county out of the city limits," suggesting the county adopt Lake County’s ordinance as a template and hold public hearings. Gary Metcalfe cautioned about nondisclosure agreements, saying that once officials sign NDAs "they no longer work for the taxpayer" and warned about municipal boundary practices that can affect county parcels.
Commissioners also reminded residents about 'no parking' signs during snow to help plowing in subdivisions and announced that frost laws had gone into effect and that overweight permits are available online. The board adjourned after routine final announcements.
Actions recorded at the meeting included motions approving the agenda, minutes, payroll, operating claims, permissions for courtroom AV outreach, staff travel, the TRACE 5 triathlon road closure, permission for an epilepsy-awareness stand, adoption of Resolution 2026-1, and adjournment.
