October 2006

Pulaski County Time?
‘Fall back’ an hour Sunday

By Karen Clem Fritz

Trick? Or Treat?

The U.S. (including Indiana) will “fall back” an hour tomorrow (Oct. 29) as the winter observance of Standard Time begins. But Pulaski County residents are still spooked about the correct time as they continue to await a ruling from the U.S. Department of Transportation (D.O.T) on a petition, filed earlier this summer, requesting Eastern Time for the county.

County officials now do not expect to receive a decision on the matter until at least next spring.

Pulaski County will remain officially on Central Time this winter, but the schools, hospital and most businesses will continue to observe Eastern Time.

This award-winning scarecrow from the annual Chamber of Commerce contest illustrates Pulaski County’s dilemma over Central Time vs. Eastern Time. The scarecrow was the Fashion Floors & Interiors entry in Winamac.

County government has issued no statements this month advising residents how to proceed on the time issue. But business and commerce leaders are recommending that residents turn their clocks back an hour on Sunday, no matter what time they have been observing this summer.

“It’s as simple as that,” says Dan Dolezal, Pulaski County Community Development Commission (CDC) director. “If you’re on Central or Eastern time, just turn your clocks back an hour on Sunday.”

Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce president Rene Burton agrees. “We are encouraging everyone to continue as they have this summer,” she reports. “We hope to minimize the confusion as much as possible by telling everyone to just fall back an hour.”

Most residents and businesses chose to follow Eastern Time last spring because it is the time they expect to ultimately observe when (if?) the D.O.T. approves the county’s petition requesting placement in the Eastern time zone.

The movement to follow Eastern Time was also fueled early on when county elected officials voted to adopt “home rule” to observe Eastern Time until a petition could be drawn up and approved by federal regulators. They said then they had been advised by state officials that this was a legal option.

But the D.O.T. disagreed. Just days before the spring change to Daylight Saving Time, pressure from federal regulators forced the county commissioners and county council to back down from their Feb. 6 home rule declaration. The commissioners had been told federal funding and grants for county projects could be put in jeopardy.

So in the end, local officials declared county government would observe Central Time officially, but in a second resolution, the commissioners and council followed the only avenue left to them and set courthouse hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time, which is the equivalent of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time - the hours the courthouse normally operates under.

The local officials also expressed no desire to serve as “time police” for the residents of the county.

The last-minute decision to abandon the home rule declaration came far too late for most residents and businesses - and especially the schools - to make the adjustment to Central Time.

And thus began the summer’s odyssey into “time zones of choice.”

When the county submitted its new, meticulously documented petition to the D.O.T. this summer, local leaders were optimistic that the data made a strong case for Eastern Time, and that a decision would be handed down by the autumn time change.

With the arrival of August - and no indication from the D.O.T. - school officials made the choice to continue on Eastern Time, based on the expectation that the petition would be approved. In addition, the local schools have activity schedules and vocational classes with other schools and organizations in counties in the Eastern Time Zone which they were reluctant to adjust if it could be avoided.

Pulaski Memorial Hospital will continue to observe Eastern Time this winter. “We have a number of specialty physicians who come to PMH from Eastern Time Zone counties to see our patients,” administrator Rick Mynark repeated. “The majority of our home health care clientele also reside in Eastern Time counties.”

The Chamber of Commerce reports that most businesses continue to follow Eastern Time. One of the most notable exceptions are the stores at the Winamac Plaza and the nearby All Seasons home center. Several county churches also observe Central Time.

Recently, local officials received word that the D.O.T. has decided to review Pulaski County’s request for Eastern Time along with a new petition for time zone changes from several southwestern Indiana counties. It was feared that this action would result in a delay for a local ruling.

Attorney Mark Shublak of Indianapolis, who is representing Pulaski County on its petition, told ExPRESS Tuesday that although he requested that Pulaski County’s petition be separated from the others, “the D.O.T. expressed their preference to handle both at once,” and Shublak said he could understand that.

He added that Pulaski County’s petition is “in good condition,” and that the D.O.T.’s only additional request so far was for some updated school data.

Shublak said he would only be speculating when asked when the county might expect a ruling on its petition, but agreed that predictions it would be next spring are “reasonable.”

So what do you need to do tomorrow? (Sunday, Oct. 29)

If you have been observing Central Time, Pulaski County’s official time designation, you need to set your clocks back an hour to follow Central Standard Time. This will keep you on the same time as Chicago, and Jasper and Starke counties.

Those who choose to follow Eastern Standard Time will also need to set their clocks back an hour. This will align them with Cass, Fulton, Marshall, St. Joseph and White counties, and most of the rest of Indiana.

Next spring the fun begins earlier. Under a new federal law, Daylight Saving Time will be extended, beginning the second Sunday of March and lasting until the first Sunday of November.

Pulaski County Time (June 2006) - Click here.
Most of county appears determined to observe Eastern Time (April 2006) - Click here.
Pulaski County declares home rule (February 2006) - Click here.
Pulaski County placed in Central Time Zone (January 2006) - Click here.