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Editorial: County driving big wedge Published: Monday, August 29, 2005 -- The Truth, A4 Last updated: 8/28/2005 9:23:12 PM "Elkhart County Commissioners agree it is poor public policy to create a time zone division in north-central Indiana and will not take actions that will purposefully separate Elkhart County from the majority of counties in this economic region." -- resolution adopted by the commissioners on Aug. 1, 2005 That statement made sense at the time, even if the basis for doing nothing and remaining on Eastern time didn't. Now the commissioners are considering testifying against St. Joseph County if the commissioners there decide to ask the U.S. Department of Transportation to switch the county to Central time. What are the Elkhart County commissioners thinking? We believe it's poor public policy to attempt to disrupt economic development, intergovernmental and other relationships built among the counties in the region over an issue as ridiculous as daylight-saving time. The four-county area should not be split in time zones. Officials from all four counties have agreed on that principle all along. However, that agreement now seems moot. The Elkhart and Kosciusko County commissioners decided not to seek a switch to Central time. St. Joe is likely to try, as the councils in Mishawaka, South Bend and the county have urged the commissioners to do so. The Marshall County commissioners are asking for a change. The Elkhart County commissioners first said in the resolution, "we do not believe a persuasive economic and commerce argument can be made for moving Elkhart County into the Central time zone ..." Then they went to the county council and said they would study whether the area was tied more to Central or Eastern time. (Some council members told them to follow St. Joe County's lead.) Then Thursday, Commissioner Mike Yoder said the commissioners were being urged by unnamed businesses to testify against St. Joseph County. Clearly that would be divisive. Based on the fact that they're even considering testifying, it appears obvious there will be no serious attempt made to consider whether Elkhart County has ties to Central time. Yoder said the commissioners see no economic benefit to it. Then why tell their fellow elected officials on the county council they would study it? Why ignore their counsel to follow St. Joseph County's lead? Our commissioners ought to be thinking about the long-term implications of working against our neighbors to the west. For the past several years, local business leaders have worked to build stronger relationships that would benefit the region's economic development efforts. Government officials have worked to forge stronger ties that will help with U.S. 31 and other projects of mutual interest. Might as well kiss that hard work goodbye -- why would anyone trust Elkhart County? Obviously, the commissioners' motive may ultimately be to keep the four-county region together in the Eastern time zone. That is understandable given their adamant position. But some officials have made it clear they believe that the DOT will never approve a time change for St. Joseph County. If they feel strongly about that, why risk everything else by actively working against them? Look at what this daylight-saving time fiasco has done -- pitted counties and neighbors against each other. We hope the governor and the legislators who voted in favor of DST are satisfied with the outcome. This is truly sad.

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