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Parke County commissioners approve payroll and claims, adopt festival site policy and table speed‑limit ordinance
Summary
At their March 2 meeting the Parke County Board of Commissioners approved multiple payroll and accounts‑payable releases, adopted a resolution establishing criteria for off‑site Covered Bridge Festival locations (including recognizing Clay Plant), and tabled Ordinance 2026‑05 proposing a 20 MPH limit on CR 300 S pending revision.
The Parke County Board of Commissioners on March 2 approved several payroll and claims releases, adopted a new policy for off‑site Covered Bridge Festival locations and tabled a proposed ordinance to lower the speed limit on a portion of CR 300 S.
Minutes from the board’s Feb. 16 meeting were approved unanimously. The board authorized two payroll releases — $198,574.20 (for release Feb. 23) and $192,399.81 (for release March 9) — and acknowledged an Accounts Payable Claims Report for March 9 totaling $172,116.88. Commissioners also approved Accounts Payable Claims totaling $1,447,432.25. Motions on these items were made by Dan Collom and seconded by Bruce Hartman and carried unanimously.
On procurement matters, the board approved five out‑of‑cycle checks covering PNC Equipment Finance ($3,148.83), two payments to Rockin L, LLC ($5,368.00 and $960.00), INDOT ($1,270.77) and vs Engineering ($26,960.00). The motion was made by Jim Meece and seconded by Dan Collom; it carried unanimously.
In old business the board adopted Resolution 2026‑02, establishing criteria for venues outside incorporated town limits to qualify as official Parke County Covered Bridge Festival locations. The resolution requires that qualifying locations be brick‑and‑mortar businesses, host more than 20 vendors paying transient merchant fees, provide sufficient porta‑potty service throughout the festival’s ten days and remain open for the full event. The board then acknowledged Clay Plant (Bloomingdale) as an official festival destination under the new policy.
The board discussed Ordinance 2026‑05, drafted by Commissioners’ Attorney Nick Sauter, which would reduce the speed limit on a segment of CR 300 S to 20 MPH with fines for violations up to $500. Highway Superintendent Matt Romalia told commissioners that the Detweilers were the only residents requesting the reduction and noted parts of the route should remain at 30 MPH; Sauter and Romalia will rework the ordinance to reflect mixed limits and return it to a future meeting. The ordinance was tabled for clarification.
The meeting adjourned at 4:48 p.m.
Votes at a glance - Minutes (Feb. 16, 2026): motion Collom; second Hartman — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Payroll release $198,574.20 (release Feb. 23): motion Collom; second Hartman — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Payroll release $192,399.81 (release Mar. 9): motion Collom; second Hartman — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Accounts Payable Report $172,116.88 (acknowledged): motion Collom; second Hartman — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Accounts Payable Claims $1,447,432.25: motion Collom; second Hartman — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Five out‑of‑cycle checks (listed above): motion Meece; second Collom — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Resolution 2026‑02 (Covered Bridge Festival off‑site location criteria): motion Hartman; second Meece — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Clay Plant acknowledged as official festival location: motion Meece; second Collom — approved (yes:3, no:0) - Ordinance 2026‑05 (CR 300 S speed limit): tabled pending redraft (no formal vote tally recorded beyond unanimous agreement to table).
Sources: Parke County Board of Commissioners meeting minutes, March 2, 2026. The article attributes specific statements to named attendees where those names appear in the minutes.
