Accessibility to Pulaski County courthouse worries residents

PULASKI COUNTY, Ind. — The Pulaski County Council and Board of Commissioners held a joint meeting Monday evening, where they discussed and unanimously accepted an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Transition Plan.

After the meeting, ABC57’s Blake Parker chatted with Pulaski County resident, Joe Moyer, who said he has several worries about the ADA accessibility within the recently remodeled Pulaski County courthouse.

According to Indiana Landmarks, the Pulaski County courthouse was built in 1895. By 2018, there were discussions among commissioners to tear it down, but instead, construction started on an extensive $13.4 million rehabilitation plan. However, Moyer said more work still needs to be done.

“There is a doorway in the big meeting room that has an 18-inch obstruction, an I Beam that they discovered during the renovation…obviously they can’t cut the I Beam out, but they just left it, making the exit unusable by somebody in a wheelchair or other mobility problems,” said Moyer.

He explained he has observed other concerns, such as doors that swing the wrong way and an unsafe fire exit for the third floor.

During the meeting, it was explained that the federal government is pushing for all counties to become fully ADA compliant, or they could face losing all federal funding.

To view the meeting in its entirety, click here.