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Commissioners approve INDOT engineering agreement for Pumpkin Ridge Road despite resident opposition
Summary
Brown County commissioners voted 2-1 to proceed with an INDOT agreement to begin preliminary engineering on Pumpkin Ridge Road after multiple failed motions to deny or table the item and extensive public comment opposing the project.
Commission President Tim Clark and Commissioner Kevin Patrick voted on Feb. 18 to proceed with signing an agreement with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to begin preliminary engineering for upgrades to Pumpkin Ridge Road; Commissioner Ron Sanders voted no.
The vote followed more than an hour of public comment during which residents urged the board not to sign. Bob Klee told the commissioners, “No one on Pumpkin Ridge supports this agreement,” and said he submitted an online petition with 309 signatures opposing the plan. Speakers raised concerns about eminent domain, possible loss of forest and wildlife habitat, septic systems under the roadway, and claimed state and DNR communications had not been transparent.
Commissioner Ron Sanders attempted several motions to deny the agreement outright and to table it while seeking alternatives; none received a second and the motions died. Sanders asked representatives identified in the record as John from the Department of Natural Resources and Nicole from INDOT to clarify whether the upgraded road could be used for more than hiking and primitive camping, and said multiple facts remained unknown and could strain county resources.
Tim Clark said INDOT will manage the contract and described the proposed typical cross section for such state-managed forest access roads as two lanes at about 18 feet. Opponents argued that standard lane widths and project scope could differ from what residents were told; Sherrie Mitchell warned that lack of transparency could erode trust between the county and community.
The motion to proceed passed 2-1 (Tim Clark Yes; Ron Sanders No; Kevin Patrick Yes). Following the vote, the board paused for a five-minute break. The item will move forward to the engineering phase under INDOT management; the agreement was described in meeting materials as required to initiate preliminary engineering and has been on the county agenda since March 2025.
