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Elkhart County commissioners approve routine appropriations, contracts and a noise variance
Summary
The board approved a $44,569 appropriation for weights-and-measures equipment, authorized return of three body scanners for a full refund, approved a courthouse cleaning contract and task order with White Pine Homes LLC, approved a property transfer for right-of-way use and granted a noise-ordinance variance for a Labor Day event.
The Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 11 approved a series of routine budget and contracting items, including a $44,569 additional appropriation from the general fund for a weights-and-measures slide-in unit, authorization to return three body scanners for a full refund, an independent contractor agreement and task order with White Pine Homes LLC to provide cleaning at the new courthouse, and a property transfer to simplify a highway right-of-way. The board also granted a noise-ordinance variance for a private Labor Day event.
Michael Parington, weights and measures, told commissioners the $44,569 appropriation would pay for a slide-in unit that allows more on-site testing and reduces the need to haul a second trailer. "This allows for that opportunity to happen more on-site," Parington said.
County staff said three body-scanner units had been purchased for about $60,000 each and that repeated attempts to make one unit operate as intended were unsuccessful. County staff reported the vendor has agreed to accept return of the units and reimburse the county the full purchase price, with reimbursement to occur by Oct. 1, the record shows. The transcript references both Exawave and Liberty Defense in vendor discussion; county officials said they arranged the return and refund with the vendor.
The board approved an independent contractor agreement with White Pine Homes LLC, doing business as White Pine Services, for routine courthouse cleaning and later approved a task order under that agreement with an anticipated start date of Sept. 22, 2025. The base service fee in the task order is $20,857.77 per month; the task order also includes a fee schedule for additional services such as deep cleaning or exterior window work. County Attorney Steve Olson said the county compared hiring in-house employees and paying benefits and concluded the contract was a more cost-effective option.
The board voted 2'to—1 to grant a noise-ordinance variance for Donald and Lita Newton at 26798 Pleasant Place for a Labor Day gathering on Aug. 31, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Staff estimated 40 to 50 attendees and noted planned loud music and a DJ. One commissioner said they preferred the event end at 10 p.m.; the variance passed 2'to—1.
A resolution to transfer property from the Elkhart County Department of Redevelopment to the Board of Commissioners for right-of-way purposes at 30723 Old U.S. 20 was approved without cost, county staff said, to simplify future highway work on the parcel.
Routine business items including approval of the Aug. 4 minutes and allowance of payroll and regular claims were also approved unanimously.
At the meeting's public-comment period, resident Glenn Noll criticized county highway maintenance and said he is documenting locations that need repair. Noll urged citizens to bring concerns to county officials if they believe funds have not been used appropriately.
