[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,84,96,108],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6481370,"mediaKeyId","5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6","parentId",5770445,"title","Commissioners cancel afternoon session and adjourn morning budget meeting","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",12001000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6&start=12001&end=12001","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6/thumbnail_12001000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6481370/Elkhart-County/Indiana/Commissioners-cancel-afternoon-session-and-adjourn-morning-budget-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481370-ddc18bcd4e414bc7ebea984bd3e3bf30/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999650&Signature=oQG877I0pEO5Yi1klG60NFEljlrjpQ9-jW-wui3qUET-JX1G3CSwAzSk6HedqKzoBBNfWa3zbQ8ahBuyUVE7iw~EyyC2pcNLCB5PfXmllAwFXhpIJhGnTGnspNlHNek3I2XJlXIRw-8~h4ZAaNZxdaqwisdBObb~bNeKP8zMV~2p10TC4XWpw-A8Q6yG~sjUiLnd~fkCE3rrCMAngGD5znk5N4BQ7QWRupb36~wMT~tOy-HC0UbXlzlcdH2ngOKfJ2o1SskykbfVFXNXBC98XcOYzk6e7q62zIiTQZ~YQHIw415pcN4UQz-i4nAd0AUo1wy-bso8mjxJzCJZRQjrJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Elkhart County, IN","date","2025-09-12T12:06:35Z","article","Near the end of the Sept. 11 special budget meeting, a commissioner moved to cancel the afternoon session that had been scheduled for the same day. The motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote.

The board then moved, seconded and approved a motion to adjourn the morning meeting; the chair announced the meeting was adjourned until the following morning at 8:30.

The voice votes were recorded in the meeting transcript but no roll‑call tallies were given.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Elkhart County Live Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","After budget discussions the Board of Commissioners voted to cancel a previously scheduled afternoon meeting and adjourned the morning session. Both motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.","taxTitle","Elkhart County, Indiana","taxId",5801,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":42,"_43":77,"_45":77,"_46":78,"_48":79,"_50":80,"_52":81,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481375,"County moves toward centralizing IT purchasing; commissioners debate pulling data‑processing budgets into IT",12600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6&start=12600&end=12600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6/thumbnail_12600000.jpg","/articles/6481375/Elkhart-County/Indiana/County-moves-toward-centralizing-IT-purchasing-commissioners-debate-pulling-dataprocessing-budgets-into-IT","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481375-4f8558d5ecbba999d6d5d5f8da21458e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999650&Signature=Bj8ldTmsz0ygX8ElPmjpLIaE8CAiF36vI2Fm1o7~yjpvur5LeCjv0~B89h~Noe2naByyRJ2UE4X9sXhjR6VK6pxOxNZZ27lahxeldJJDUmJZG9zanlUuPBaCfz9BBcg0DFEvx-JiPd1sKg3NT0hLo1EkDlnKccIjcjKchJT7GlCgLc~knzc~qwwL2udzYFSgxDfPbPxrNPoPbR3EAhQ4xo2Q6BYEQmtYL3QTJwimJXtfUF4vhS8x6AagQvAvzQ55ey62tKvb9yV85xfKFtZhqri0vrQr6a-8RR6WL9VKAvk1t12cx2MCysBvcikARg1cxVcE-jW-NYICvfVY9d8I-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County Administrator Jeff Taylor and IT staff briefed commissioners Sept. 11 on about $1.0 million in data‑processing hardware, software and services currently budgeted across departments and recommended further centralization under the county IT budget.

Taylor said some departments had already been provided quotes and that the IT office had worked with offices (prosecutor, sheriff, treasurer and others) to identify hardware refresh needs. He urged caution about double‑budgeting but said moving expense lines into IT would improve visibility and make it easier to coordinate large purchases.

Several commissioners and staff raised implementation questions: which departments should retain small, routine IT lines (for example high‑volume or mission‑specific equipment), and how to protect elected officials’ ability to manage office‑specific needs. Taylor proposed moving recurring enterprise purchases into IT while allowing small, clearly identified department‑level budgets for mission‑critical items.

Copiers and leases: commissioners questioned county‑wide copying and leasing practices and described several vendor relationships and per‑copy maintenance charges. Taylor said centralized procurement had already produced savings in select pilot cases (for example, the auditor’s copier purchase) and said more work was required to standardize printers and reduce duplicate software subscriptions.

Next steps: staff agreed to map department‑level IT lines and identify items that should remain in departmental budgets versus those to centralize; departments were asked to coordinate proposed purchases with IT, and staff will return with a proposed policy and the specific transfers required for the 2026 budget process.

","County leaders reviewed a cross‑department inventory of data‑processing hardware, software and services and discussed whether to centralize those budgets under the IT department to avoid duplication and improve procurement oversight.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481379,"Sheriff’s office, commissioners consider shifting millions in corrections costs to special public‑safety fund",1160,7885000,9045000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6&start=7885&end=9045","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6/thumbnail_7885000.jpg","/articles/6481379/Elkhart-County/Indiana/Sheriffs-office-commissioners-consider-shifting-millions-in-corrections-costs-to-special-publicsafety-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481379-f7202b423ab7a3c8614f3565a9833925/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999650&Signature=iwWBnGQopOrx2k3wknqrl54uMv7gyGmGT9x-HnLCsVW-vpG1sas0Qb2hWohfVnBixOyakhp7xvNq1sCUGN6obdxlv-cdsURXVivr7CT5GJ-990-ehXw64O8ePwHdg5ozWzavbD80BIpQSVoXLomNwQqdjYxYE8PADEC6jjeiskrbW6A1Nq~Jc7ZgH4Q3ZvbXH2MAVDTZP0b60JDZmbg128ion94htb~ByvbzyEf5WZaeJ77S1mmTvo7sFNGKWiPkb1UKiPN3IF4pJoWP7GdG2xqVEzwd-RYb0PJuUmAnK6sUXhxJIK-CVguw7w9M5gq-kMliU71VQPpBdckXZjygOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Deputy Sean (acting chief deputy, Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office) told commissioners that the sheriff’s office could shift substantial corrections personnel and operational costs into the county’s special public‑safety local income‑tax fund (SP 11/14) to relieve the general fund.

Sean said, based on preliminary figures, moving corrections officer payroll (corrections officers and attached supervisory personnel) and related supervision could shift roughly $5.2 million; combined with moving about $1.3 million currently budgeted for the jail food vendor out of the general fund, the office could free roughly $6 million from the general fund budget in the short term. “So right off the bat, you could do that,” he told the board.

Why it matters: SP 11/14 historically pays for a mix of jail operations, bond payments and other public‑safety uses. Commissioners noted state changes to how special levies are treated may require further review before designating continued operational costs to that fund. County leaders said bond reserves and current SP revenues provide headroom now, but long‑term treatment depends on future state rules and the life of current bonds.

Budget mechanics and next steps: County Administrator Jeff Taylor and financial staff recommended leaving a modest cushion in any fund transfer and reviewing timing so payroll and vendor payments are covered across the current fiscal year and until the next appropriation. Patty (county fiscal staff) and others said the move should be staged to avoid mid‑year shortfalls.

Ending: Commissioners agreed to pursue a plan that would move core corrections personnel costs and portions of other corrections operating lines into the SP 11/14 fund while preserving a small general‑fund cushion; staff were asked to prepare the required budget transfers and to model longer‑term impacts to the SP fund if state rules change.

","County officials discussed moving corrections payroll and some operational expenses from the general fund to a special public‑safety local income tax account (SP 11/14) and shifting the jail food contract out of the general fund to reduce pressure on the 2026 general fund budget.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_46":102,"_48":103,"_50":104,"_52":105,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":106,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":107,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481384,"County health director outlines programs and proposes staffing trims after Health First Indiana cuts",1069,3999000,5068000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6&start=3999&end=5068","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6/thumbnail_3999000.jpg","/articles/6481384/Elkhart-County/Indiana/County-health-director-outlines-programs-and-proposes-staffing-trims-after-Health-First-Indiana-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481384-885a818a86fcbd6db13fdf985f7992b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999650&Signature=fGzy1J44HbFCOoHWzEWXV141k1i6y8uAEmNLpnn4cpu5hpH3qwjLmv6PkrRzKDwKDIHOEbcGEMMM~0T9xIUGKQ0NfOl3-xpxYZxum3E8yoah2b8p9xx6zwd6qxls-u-rPmFKXINupRymQ83oAmnVmZBw5e3tSQ3dXDdjV5NJCTPYugm3ZeJVKZ84G4-eKJZvpCKCyrO4D4uEker1CjJvUmAOPpVGZbKtI-8Fb8gYjcEbBtmCLUoiiBQVGfXt27ZbPBC0jQ46hEz4IZTizIMJX2vvFm6R7H30dloXcxUAYwCqePbOQVrjm-Ir4TqUo5BCzn-cyxlw0emT5Ft33W-jFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melanie Sizemore, director of the Elkhart County Health Department, gave commissioners a program‑by‑program briefing Sept. 11 and said recent reductions in Health First Indiana (HFI) funding required the department to tighten operations.

Sizemore said Health First Indiana funding for the county dropped by roughly 74%, from about $5 million previously to $1.3 million under current allocations. “We got about a 74% cut. So we went from getting about $5,000,000 to 1.3,” she told commissioners.

What the department does: Sizemore reviewed core clinical and environmental services the health department provides, including WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), communicable‑disease case reporting, immunizations via the Vaccine for Children program, lead case management, environmental health inspections (restaurants, pools, wells, septic) and a mobile or fixed‑site dental clinic. On WIC, she said the county program costs about $1.5 million to operate and drives roughly $4 million in grocery store spending countywide.

Proposed trims and flexibility: to help balance the 2026 budget request, department leaders offered discrete options rather than broad service cuts. Sizable near‑term savings staff identified include reducing the local medical officer’s schedule from 15 hours per week to 10 (estimated savings about $38,000), not filling one open registered‑nurse position (about $75,000) and delaying or holding a clinic assistant position (about $43,000). Sizemore described other internal efficiencies and previously earned rollover savings used for building maintenance and one‑time investments.

Grants and internal county investments: Sizemore said the department had used HFI and other grant funds to make one‑time investments and awards to internal county operations: $50,000 for AEDs and other equipment to the sheriff, roughly $10,000 for EMA radios and laptops, $200,000 to the parks department for outdoor exercise equipment and $260,000 total in internal county grants. The department also reported capital investments including a new server and facility repairs.

Why it matters: commissioners pressed for clarity on service levels and where reductions would affect mandated public‑health work. Sizemore emphasized statutory and reporting obligations to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) for certain programs and said cuts had been made carefully to avoid losing federally mandated functions. “For 1, we always did all of this stuff. I mean, you guys know from being here forever. But the 1.3 just gets us by by the skin of our teeth,” she said.

Ending: Commissioners asked the department to prioritize required services, to move carefully on personnel decisions and to continue coordinating with county finance staff. Sizemore said the department would provide follow‑up budget detail, and commissioners indicated they would consider the narrower personnel adjustments when finalizing appropriations.

","Elkhart County Health Department presented its service portfolio to commissioners and described a major reduction in Health First Indiana funding. Leaders proposed limited staffing changes and said they had used federal and grant funding to sustain core services.",{"_33":109,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":110,"_41":111,"_43":112,"_45":113,"_46":114,"_48":115,"_50":116,"_52":117,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":118,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":119,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6481389,"Elkhart County CVB seeks higher 2026 innkeeper tax budget amid questions about carryovers and overhead",2729,151000,2880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6&start=151&end=2880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5770445-035a8a8441a21bc3332fe2789b6679e6/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6481389/Elkhart-County/Indiana/Elkhart-County-CVB-seeks-higher-2026-innkeeper-tax-budget-amid-questions-about-carryovers-and-overhead","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481389-c8f6324e53f2036d29bfce86b8b8af40/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999650&Signature=XZcbT2EhtGi2LFhyJ6Y2P11NcF6R~8U-W1ouDIzvVaHbfvJgDLpuwSuB2tmHx8VqidS5y9njaTULxOVZARsG45K3NA~j2OSQrmtCzr1P5DoCTAQHJRjNYGEwlK3vqaeD2c9YlOcWKBlTB3crcMVC5C8cxlUDkuSDsVOLYJH8qiWoSuB7VvtIYHc5mEpz9VQ~Nggh0Pf-XQOeK3jIqpobjByUulcWfwnQBDhEDqGqwNRXF0lTQfJw8wbKs0Gnmuz2zrIZvd9dq8rOS0LI7UOFzKZ~0-Uj2PsT-N4h8ekkCxfaAAplWCANOF7IqtCvLi8176-ekekiMba2~xpNmqziMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Hunsberger, executive director of the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, asked the Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 11 to raise the bureau’s 2026 innkeeper-tax budget from $2.6 million to $2.9 million to align spending with collections.

Hunsberger told the commissioners the CVB’s total budget is about $3.1 million and that the $2.6 million figure is the direct distribution from the innkeeper tax. “We’re only trying to align our budget with what is collected,” he said, describing a multi‑year pattern of collections rising faster than the amount officials were allowed to budget.

The bureau presented specific uses for innkeeper‑tax dollars, emphasizing marketing and events. Hunsberger said the CVB contributed $150,000 toward a downtown “Celebration Under the Stars” concert that drew an estimated 15,000–16,000 people and also listed local events supported this year, including the Elkhart Jazz Festival, Nappanee Apple Festival and the Pumpkin Vine bicycle ride. “We market, promote, and invest in the experience economy here in Elkhart County,” Hunsberger said.

Why it matters: the innkeeper tax can be spent only for tourism promotion under state law and the local innkeeper tax commission’s contract. Commissioners said they want to be sure budget increases primarily fund visitor‑facing marketing and events rather than rising overhead.

Commissioners pressed Hunsberger on organizational overhead and staffing. One commissioner said CVB payroll and fixed costs appear large relative to event grants and asked whether the CVB needed seven staff. Hunsberger replied the CVB has seven full‑time staff plus a visitor‑center staff person and said the visitor center itself generates walk‑in service for travelers.

Questions about carryovers and interest. Commissioners and the CVB diverged on how excess collections had been handled. Hunsberger explained that collections above the budget are held as a rollover and are available in subsequent years, and that those rollovers had grown — he cited a carryover of about $634,000 into 2025 and a projected $728,000 at year end if current pace continued.

County Treasurer Cindy Chadwell described the county process: innkeeper tax receipts from large hotels are deposited to the county treasurer’s account monthly and third‑party platform collections (for short‑term rentals) come through the state. Chadwell said the treasurer “hold[s] the money in our bank account. They’re not getting paid interest. It was never set up that way,” and said the county could investigate whether interest should be credited back to the specific fund.

Commissioner concerns included a recent effort by the CVB to seek legislative approval for a higher tax ceiling without prior council notice, and the perception—whether or not accurate—that the CVB acts primarily as a marketing arm for the City of Elkhart. Hunsberger said the innkeeper tax commission includes hoteliers from multiple communities and that the CVB partners with town organizations through cooperative marketing.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to follow up on a few specific items — the county treasurer said she would investigate how interest on carryover balances is recorded and reported, and commissioners signaled they would seek clearer budget breakdowns next year if the CVB again requests an increase.

","The Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau asked commissioners to raise its 2026 innkeeper-tax budget from $2.6 million to $2.9 million and outlined how CVB dollars paid for recent large events. Commissioners pressed CVB leaders about staffing, overhead and where unspent tax receipts are held.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners cancel afternoon session and adjourn morning budget meeting

County moves toward centralizing IT purchasing; commissioners debate pulling data‑processing budgets into IT

Sheriff’s office, commissioners consider shifting millions in corrections costs to special public‑safety fund

County health director outlines programs and proposes staffing trims after Health First Indiana cuts

Elkhart County CVB seeks higher 2026 innkeeper tax budget amid questions about carryovers and overhead