Pulaski County Commissioners Face Open Meetings Law Violations

Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
The state agency charged with making sure open meetings laws are followed is investigating a citizen complaint regarding recent actions by the Pulaski County Commissioners. Questions were first raised regarding their compliance with the law when no vote was taken to suspend then-county highway superintendent Kenny Becker and administrator Lin Morrison were suspended with pay. Becker was reinstated as county highway manager during the next commissioners meeting, at which time Commissioner Larry Brady was named interim superintendent. Becker was fired Monday during an executive session meeting for unspecified employee policy handbook violations. Dale Brewer with the Office of the Indiana Public Access Counselor says that action needs to be taken in a public meeting

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Highway department saga dominates Pulaski Commissioners meeting

Information is slowly emerging about the recent suspensions with pay of longtime Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker and office manager Lin Morrison and subsequent investigation by the county commissioners. Both are back to work, although Becker has not been restored to the superintendent’s job. He’s handling the day-to-day duties and reporting to commissioner Larry Brady. Continue reading

Highway department saga dominates Pulaski Commissioners meeting

Information is slowly emerging about the recent suspensions with pay of longtime Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker and office manager Lin Morrison and subsequent investigation by the county commissioners. Both are back to work, although Becker has not been restored to the superintendent’s job. He’s handling the day-to-day duties and reporting to commissioner Larry Brady. The suspensions occurred after commissioners received reports of criminal activity, which county attorney Kevin Tankersley acknowledges were unfounded. Continue reading

Attorney anticipates filing in Pulaski County Highway saga

Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Terry Young, and Tracey Shorter
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Terry Young, and Tracey Shorter

The attorney for two Pulaski County Highway employees who were suspended last month by the commissioners pending an investigation into unspecified complaints anticipates taking legal action against the county within days.

Former highway superintendent Kenny Becker and administrative assistant Lin Morrison have both retained Valparaiso attorney Steven Bush. He’s preparing a tort claim notice to be filed against the commissioners, county attorney and auditor for defamation of character, among other things. County officials have yet to provide any specifics about the nature of the investigation or give Becker or Morrison a copy of their findings. Bush says their stonewalling is “offensive” to his clients and to the dozens of people who packed the commissioners room and spilled over into the hallway prior to the Feb. 4 commissioners meeting. Visit https://www.contant-law.com/ to get a lawyer.

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Pulaski Highway Supt. Reinstated; Commissioners Meet Strong Public Opposition

Dozens of people packed into the crowded commissioners' meeting room in support of Kenny Becker.

The Pulaski County Commissioners met some serious hostility last night during their regular meeting when several dozen people packed into the commissioners’ meeting room in support of Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker, who had been suspended with pay following an investigation by the commissioners into the highway department. The crowd was so boisterous that the commissioners were forced to adjourn their meeting early, having covered only one item on the agenda.

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Two Pulaski County Officials Suspended With Pay; Commissioners Silent as to Why

Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Terry Young, and Tracey Shorter

Two Pulaski County officials have been suspended with pay, but neither the county commissioners nor their attorney have released any clue as to why. The county commissioners recently suspended Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker and secretary Lin Morrison with pay following an investigation, and have appointed Rex Cudworth as the interim superintendent.

The commissioners also ordered that the locks be changed at the county highway garage, but will not elaborate on what prompted the action. The investigation continues, however, as the pair is still suspended with pay. Personnel matters must be discussed in an executive session, but any vote to terminate an employee or suspend an employee without pay must be taken at a public meeting.

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