Elkhart County Council approves multiple appropriations, interlocal agreements and a new grant fund

The Elkhart County Council on April 17 approved a series of additional appropriations, transfers and interlocal agreements, and established a new grant fund for Sheriffs Office programs. All roll-call votes recorded in the meeting were unanimous, 7-0.

Council members voted to approve a $50,000 additional appropriation from the Cumulative Drainage Fund for the county surveyor’s office to fund obstruction removal in regulated drains. County Surveyor Philip Barker told the council the request is to close out an old project and replenish the fund; he said "we have $16,000 roughly left in it, which will be returned if we get this appropriation." The council recorded the motion and approved the appropriation 7-0.

The council approved a $120,000 nonreverting appropriation from Park and Recreation capital funds for park maintenance, to be used for shelter repairs, concrete leveling, playground wood chips and similar capital maintenance. Rhonda Deacare of Elkhart County Parks described current projects, saying the department is "finishing up the DeFries house" and is installing a hexagon-shaped shelter at Corson Riverwoods. The appropriation passed 7-0.

Planning and development requested and the council approved two TIF-funded appropriations of $70,000 each from the Middlebury Southeast TIF and the Middlebury East TIF to cover roughly half of design fees for the Water Tower No. 2 project in Middlebury; Natasha Weisenbach, the county redevelopment coordinator, said the Town of Middlebury will cover the other half. The council approved both requests 7-0.

A small reduction request from the Emergency Management (Emergency Planning) fund for $75.91 was approved 7-0. The council also approved a transfer of $800 from capital supply to office equipment to replace two printers in the county clerk’s office; Christopher Anderson, Elkhart County Clerk, explained the need and the transfer passed 7-0.

In interlocal agreements, the council approved (1) county funding commitments totaling $140,000 ($70,000 from Middlebury East allocation and $70,000 from Middlebury Southeast allocation) toward replacement of Water Tower No. 2 in the Town of Middlebury, (2) an agreement funding $69,000 from the Middlebury East TIF for East Warren water-main replacement, and (3) a 50/50 shared structural improvement agreement with the City of Elkhart for County Road 6 (between County Road 9/Johnson Street and County Road 11/Osceola Road), with Elkhart County managing bidding and procurement. County Attorney Steve Olsen described the interlocal items and noted legal review; each interlocal agreement passed 7-0.

The council also approved Ordinance CC2025-10 to establish a new nonreverting fund (Fund 9174) for the Spark Good grant (a community grant program from Walmart) with the treasurer as custodian and auditor as auditing agent. The ordinance language notes that all expenditures must be for authorized grant purposes and that some grants may not require council appropriation if not required by law. The council approved the ordinance 7-0. Steve Olsen said the grant fund "will be subject to appropriation by the council in accordance with its regular appropriation process unless an appropriation is not required by law."

Votes at a glance (recorded outcomes): - Surveyor additional appropriation: $50,000 from Cumulative Drainage Fund — passed 7-0. - Parks appropriation: $120,000 Park & Recreation nonreverting fund — passed 7-0. - Middlebury Southeast TIF appropriation: $70,000 (design for Water Tower No. 2) — passed 7-0. - Middlebury East TIF appropriation: $70,000 (design for Water Tower No. 2) — passed 7-0. - Emergency Management reduction: $75.91 — passed 7-0. - Clerk transfer: $800 from capital supply to office equipment — passed 7-0. - Interlocal agreement — Water Tower No. 2 funding (Middlebury/Town/Elkhart County Redevelopment Commission): $70,000 (Middlebury East) + $70,000 (Middlebury SE) — passed 7-0. - Interlocal agreement — East Warren water-main replacement: $69,000 (Middlebury East TIF) — passed 7-0. - Interlocal agreement — County Road 6 structural pavement improvements shared with City of Elkhart (50/50) — passed 7-0. - Ordinance CC2025-10 (Spark Good grant fund / Fund 9174) — passed 7-0.

Several presenters clarified project details during the public hearing portions for each appropriation. No votes failed or were postponed during the meeting.

The council chair closed the appropriations items and moved to other business after completing the listed approvals.