Time choice clock ticking

By JENNIFER WHITSON, Evansville Courier & Press Indianapolis bureau

INDIANAPOLIS - Martin County Commissioners voted Tuesday to petition for a switch to Central time. The 2-to-1 vote for Central boosts the total number of counties petitioning to 15.

But commissioners in neighboring Orange County decided Wednesday to stick with Eastern time.

Orange County Auditor Diann Mathers said commissioners there talked to residents, businesses and schools and took an unofficial polling that showed 84 in favor of Eastern and 46 for Central, so the commissioners decided not to vote for a petition.

But, she said, the decision was made tougher by Dubois County's move to ask for Central because the commissioners "didn't want to go against them."

The last vote in Southwestern Indiana is scheduled for today when Perry County Commissioners will review a finalized petition for Central time. On Aug. 15, the body passed a resolution stating a preference for Central and county officials have been working on a formal petition, according to Perry County Attorney Christopher Goffinet.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will consider the petitions, which are due Friday, together and then will publish a proposal for where a redrawn time zone boundary will go. Federal hearings then will be held in the affected counties.