Bartholomew County commissioners are checking whether fines could be increased for motorists caught driving through “road closed” barricades during flooding.
By a vote of 2-1, the Bartholomew County commissioners agreed to ask county attorney Grant Tucker to use specific parts of existing ordinances from Jackson and Vanderburgh counties to fashion a new Bartholomew County ordinance for consideration. These counties have established $500 fines for violations of driving past barricades.
On Monday, Bartholomew County Emergency Management Director Shannan Hinton asked the commissioners to increase the fine for these violations from the county’s current fine of $140 to $500.
“If there is more of a financial impact on the pocketbook, maybe that will get the attention (of drivers) to stop before they get stuck,” Hinton said.
However, having a proposed ordinance drawn up doesn’t necessarily mean the commissioners will support it, Commissioner Carl Lienhoop said twice during Monday’s meeting.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
