By JENNIFER WHITSON, Evansville Courier & Press Indianapolis bureau whitsonj@courierpress.com
INDIANAPOLIS - The U.S. Department of Transportation released a draft proposal late Tuesday that would move five counties - including Knox, Pike and Perry - into the Central time zone. Starke and St. Joseph counties in northern Indiana would also be moved under the plan.
The after-hours release said the remaining 12 counties that sought a change to Central time were not included in the proposal because federal officials either disagreed with their petition or the counties didn't provide enough information. Those include Daviess, Dubois, Sullivan, Martin and Lawrence counties in Southwestern Indiana.
Two counties, Fountain and Benton, dropped their request to move to the Central time zone.
Federal officials also said they would hold hearings on their preliminary proposal in Jasper, Logansport, South Bend and Terre Haute in November, but dates and times were not yet released.
The federal notification said the public would have 30 days to comment on the proposal but did not specify when a final decision would be made. However a press release sent by the department said a "final decision (is) expected by January." Any final decision could add or whittle down the list of counties to be moved to the Central time zone.
In the 2005 session, lawmakers voted to adopt daylight-saving time statewide under heavy lobbying from Gov. Mitch Daniels. As part of the debate over that bill, a provision was included to petition the federal government to review Indiana's time zone lines.
Daniels released a statement Tuesday saying that it was "important to nail down that we will have final answers by the end of the year." Any final moves would take effect in early April 2006 when people move their clocks forward.
"Clearly there will be changes in this proposed rule before this process is complete," Daniels' statement reads. "Some counties that failed on the first try will, I believe, ultimately make a credible case to move to the Central time zone."
Indeed, the Transportation Department proposal invited counties that were turned down to come back and make "stronger arguments" for Central time. But some county officials said this is the end of the road for them.
"We've had our fill of this topic," said Dubois County Commissioner Larry Vollmer.
For others in counties who tentatively will be moved to Central time, the victory was bittersweet.
Pike County Commissioner Steve Stidd said he voted against petitioning for Central time but that the other two commissioners approved it because they wanted to stay with Dubois County, which had already voted to ask for the change.
In the proposal though, only Pike, not Dubois County, is slated to move.
"I don't think people here would be very happy if Washington and Dubois County are on a different time," Stidd said.
Perry County Commission President Terry Lock was happy with its county's proposed move to Central time but said he thought every county with a switch would get its own hearing.
"They promised that they'd come in here and let citizens have a say and we definitely want that," Lock said. He said a hearing in Jasper would be dominated by input on the initial rejection of Dubois County's petition.
And while local officials were soaking in the announcement, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, a major backer of Eastern time, had weak praise for the decision but said moving St. Joseph to Central time would be a problem.
"We're pleased that they're not chopping the state in half which is what would have happened if they had moved all of the counties," said Chamber President Kevin Brinegar.
However, Central time proponent Rep. Dave Crooks, D-Washington, called the proposal a "complete mess."
"I don't want Pike and Knox on Central and the rest of my area on Eastern," Crooks said. "This is just making matters worse. If we can't unify the region, then just leave it alone."
Crooks said he'll work in the 2006 legislative session to get a statewide referendum to let voters decide between Eastern and Central time.
© 2005 The Evansville Courier Co.