Elkhart County approves highway engineering reclassification, adds CDL drivers; approves one non‑CDL position

The Elkhart County Board of Commissioners voted to reclassify an existing project engineer position into an engineering service manager and approved two new multipurpose commercial driver’s license (CDL) positions for the Highway Department.

Kyle Wagner of the Highway Department described the reclassification as part of a career development structure for engineering staff and said it would create an engineering service manager who would supervise five positions and report to the county engineer. “Currently, the county engineer, the whole engineering department manages over 40 capital projects, totaling in the amount of a $150,000,000 in project values,” Wagner said, adding that the county engineer currently has 14 direct reports and is “pretty stretched thin.”

Wagner told commissioners the change would not remove project‑engineer duties but would add formal supervisory responsibility and simplify the executive pay hierarchy (moving titles into executive 1, 2 and 3 categories). He also said in‑house surveying and right‑of‑way work have reduced contractor costs and shortened project schedules. “We can move quicker because we’re not waiting on surveyors,” Wagner said.

On staffing, the board approved two new multipurpose CDL driver positions intended to increase coverage across the county’s four highway areas, ease workloads during high‑demand periods such as the county fair and improve winter snow response. Wagner said the department currently has 18 CDL drivers with two vacancies and has enough trucks for the additional hires. A roll‑call vote approved the CDL request by a 6–1 margin.

A separate request to add two non‑CDL positions initially failed on a vote. After additional discussion and a procedural change (the chair vacated the chair to make a motion), the board approved one of the two requested non‑CDL positions by roll call, 4–3. Commissioners debating that item raised concerns about headcount, coverage and reliance on outside contractors; supporters said adding non‑CDL staff would free CDL drivers for heavier equipment and improve mowing, patching and subdivision response.

The highway presentation also covered operational details: chip seal operations run at high speed in August and often require all hands on deck; during peak winter events crews average about 16‑hour days beginning as early as 4 a.m.; and some subdivisions are treated under contract for specific hills and dangerous locations. Commissioners asked about pay sources for engineering staff (moving some positions from bridge/bridal funds into highway executive categories) and were told some bridge‑crew payroll items remain funded from bridge budgets while engineer positions would be aligned to the executive pay schedule.

The reclassification and CDL hires were enacted as described; the board approved one of two requested non‑CDL hires after a separate vote.

Votes at a glance - Engineering reclassification: motion approved by voice vote; outcome recorded as carried. - Two multipurpose CDL positions: approved by roll call, 6–1 (yes: Mister Bielke; Mister Clark; Mister Graham; Mister Hess; Mister Eatsacker; Mister Young; no: Mister Stone). - Two non‑CDL positions: initial motion failed; after chair vacated and a new motion, one non‑CDL position approved by roll call, 4–3 (yes: Mister Vioski; Mister Graham; Mister Hess; Mister Young; no: Mister Clark; Mister Ricksacker; Mister Stone).

Ending County staff said the reclassification and new hires are intended to reduce contractor costs, improve internal capacity for right‑of‑way and surveying work, and increase on‑road coverage for routine maintenance and winter response. Implementation depends on final HR and payroll adjustments and on filling the new positions.