Commissioners approve termination of interlocal with Floyd County Youth Services Bureau after extended public comment

The Floyd County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on May 20 to approve FCR 2025-13, a termination of the county’s interlocal agreement with the Floyd County Youth Services Bureau, after a lengthy public-comment period.

County Attorney Rick Fox read the termination resolution into the record and set a related public hearing for June 24 at 5:00 p.m. at Pineview Government Center, the board said. Commissioner Frank Loop moved to accept the resolution; Vice President Jason Sharp seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The action prompted extensive public comment from shelter staff, former residents and community members who said Open Door Youth Services provides vital services for adolescents. Leah Pezzarossi, director of Open Door Youth Services, said she had been told "a week and one half ago that they will need to be out of the building by the end of the year." Several speakers, including social workers and former beneficiaries, urged the board to extend the timeline or condition a sale on the shelter finding replacement space.

President Al Knable sought to clarify the county’s position, saying the statements circulating in headlines that the county is evicting the youth shelter were misleading. "The headlines stating the County is evicting the Youth Services is misleading," Knable said, and he described the interlocal agreement’s built-in notice timeline: 90 days plus an additional 180 days, which he said would extend to February 2026 absent mutual agreement. Knable added he would push for up to a full year from June 1 if the shelter demonstrates progress and good-faith efforts to relocate.

Vice President Jason Sharp said he had spoken with Pezzarossi before the meeting and that at no point did the county threaten immediate eviction; he also said the shelter had expressed interest in possibly purchasing the Pineview property. Councilwoman Denise Konkle, who also serves on the youth-shelter board, asked commissioners to add a protective bullet point to the resolution ensuring the shelter has adequate time and capacity to relocate.

After discussion the board approved FCR 2025-13 "as written" and recorded the unanimous vote. Commissioners noted additional meetings and outreach will occur before any sale or demolition; Knable said the county awaits word from Indianapolis before beginning demolition work on the county-owned dam property referenced earlier in the meeting.

The June 24 public hearing will provide another opportunity for community input; the commission set no immediate eviction date and stated the interlocal’s notice provisions create a timeline that can be extended by mutual agreement.