Council votes to withdraw Dubois County from Mid‑States Corridor RDA after heated debate
April 27, 2026 | Dubois County, Indiana
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The Dubois County Council voted on the second reading to adopt Ordinance 2026‑05, formally withdrawing the county from the Mid‑States Corridor Regional Development Authority (RDA).
Council discussion ahead of the vote included both procedural questions about notice and membership qualifications and substantive remarks from a council member who said she had received strong constituent feedback and raised concerns about the tactics used by some Mid‑States opponents. That council member asked the public and fellow members to weigh constituent input; the comments prompted an extended exchange among council members.
The ordinance passed by voice vote with at least one recorded opposition. Council members and members of the public gave divergent views during the meeting and the public‑comment period: some speakers, including members of local coalitions and a polling sponsor, defended their research and advocacy activities; others criticized the tactics and raised concerns about the corridor's cost, environmental impacts and potential conflicts of interest.
Council action: the council completed a second reading by title and approved the withdrawal ordinance. Officials said the ordinance will take effect according to county procedures for such actions; attorneys had advised that the county met the qualifications for withdrawal and that the required notice period (12 or 18 months, per ordinance language) would be observed.
Public reaction and claims: at least two speakers directly challenged each other's conduct and research practices. One council member called a poll a "push poll" and said it included political questions; advocates defended the poll vendor's methodology and accuracy and pushed back against accusations of partisanship. Several residents urged the council to protect local interests, citing environmental and financial concerns.
What happens next: the withdrawal will be reflected in county records and council staff will proceed with required notice and administrative steps to finalize the county's withdrawal from the RDA.
Council discussion ahead of the vote included both procedural questions about notice and membership qualifications and substantive remarks from a council member who said she had received strong constituent feedback and raised concerns about the tactics used by some Mid‑States opponents. That council member asked the public and fellow members to weigh constituent input; the comments prompted an extended exchange among council members.
The ordinance passed by voice vote with at least one recorded opposition. Council members and members of the public gave divergent views during the meeting and the public‑comment period: some speakers, including members of local coalitions and a polling sponsor, defended their research and advocacy activities; others criticized the tactics and raised concerns about the corridor's cost, environmental impacts and potential conflicts of interest.
Council action: the council completed a second reading by title and approved the withdrawal ordinance. Officials said the ordinance will take effect according to county procedures for such actions; attorneys had advised that the county met the qualifications for withdrawal and that the required notice period (12 or 18 months, per ordinance language) would be observed.
Public reaction and claims: at least two speakers directly challenged each other's conduct and research practices. One council member called a poll a "push poll" and said it included political questions; advocates defended the poll vendor's methodology and accuracy and pushed back against accusations of partisanship. Several residents urged the council to protect local interests, citing environmental and financial concerns.
What happens next: the withdrawal will be reflected in county records and council staff will proceed with required notice and administrative steps to finalize the county's withdrawal from the RDA.
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