By DAVE KITCHELL, Pharos-Tribune staff writer
Cass County officials Tuesday voted with the majority of constituents who showed up at a public hearing last week.
Commissioners President Dick Rusk and Commissioner Richard Eller voted in favor of switching the county from the Eastern time zone to Central next year. The county has been in the Eastern zone for decades. Last Thursday, petitions signed by local residents tallied 45 for a switch to Central with only seven signatures supporting continuation in Eastern.
"There are good points to be made on both sides," Rusk said before the vote. Given the turnout for a public hearing last Thursday at the Cass County 4-H Community Center, the public has spoken, he said.
"At that time, the overwhelming consensus was that Cass County should be part of the Central time zone."
That vote, coupled with a vote Tuesday by the Carroll County Commissioners to switch to Central, means that four of the six Logansport area counties prefer a switch. Pulaski and Fulton have already voted in favor of that move. Miami County officials want to remain in Eastern. Two public hearings were scheduled Tuesday in White County, but a final vote on a time zone preference there will not be held until Monday. Counties have until Sept. 16 to notify the U.S. Department of Transportation of a preference.
© 2005 The Logansport Pharos-Tribune.