Council approves $8.984 million for new Fire Station 6 after debate over nearby Superfund plume; vote 6-1

The Elkhart City Common Council voted 6-1 on 2025-03-31 to adopt Ordinance 25-O-09, appropriating $8,984,000 from the general fund for construction of a new Fire Station 6. Councilman Henke cast the lone no vote.

Why it matters: City officials said the new station will allow the department to base a ladder truck, an engine company and an ambulance in the Northeast corridor, shortening response times for District 3 and improving emergency medical transport capacity. Fire Chief Rodney Dale told the council the facility will include 12 bedrooms (to house 10 firefighters and two battalion chiefs), room for an additional bay, and approximately 13,000 square feet of space; staff projected construction would begin in about a month and finish in about a year.

Environmental concerns: Councilman Henke said he could not support the appropriation without clearer evidence on contamination risks near the proposed site, citing a nearby Superfund property and past unexpected plume behavior. He said he wanted monitoring or an interceptor well and asked how the city would detect or respond to plume movement before it affected the station. Henke said, “I just believe that we have not provided a clear environmental study. We have contamination very close to the property,” and asked for assurances about long-term plume movement.

Staff response: Torrewin of the city’s Public Works department told the council the Lane Street Superfund boundary, as assessed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, does not extend north to the station site and that groundwater movement is southward toward the river. Torrewin said the proposed station will be slab-on-grade with no basement and will tie to city water, not a well; he said, in summary, that the city had “no reason to believe that the plume would move against the current of the groundwater.”

Cost questions: A resident, Lou Lewis Ann of the Third District, asked why the appropriation (about $8.984 million) exceeded a low bid she recalled from an earlier Board of Works report. Torrewin replied that the low bid was $7,444,000 and the appropriation includes contingency funds and architectural/construction services, accounting for the larger total.

Council debate and votes: Councilman Mishler said he respected the environmental concerns but that staff had confirmed a Phase I on the property and he would support the appropriation based on staff reports and the station’s public-safety benefits. After public comment and responses from staff and Chief Dale, the council approved the measure on third reading by roll call: Councilman Holtz — Aye; Councilman Curry — Yes; Councilwoman King — Yes; Councilman Mishler — Aye; Councilman Fish — Yes; Councilman Crabtree — Yes; Councilman Henke — No; President Dawson — Aye. The ordinance passed 6-1.

Details and clarifications: Staff said the low bid was $7,444,000; the appropriation figure includes contingency and contract/architectural costs. Chief Dale said the new station is intended to reduce response times in the Northeast corridor, help improve the city’s ISO rating and accommodate mutual-aid support for neighboring jurisdictions.

Ending: With the appropriation approved, staff said a contractor would begin work in the coming weeks and the project timeline is about a year from groundbreaking to completion. Councilman Henke’s vote and his request for additional environmental assurance were recorded in the public minutes.