Elkhart County commissioners approve claims, demolition bid, sewer easement, regional partnership, network upgrade and bridge design authorization

Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2, 2024 approved payroll and regular claims and took a series of administrative actions including awarding a demolition contract for a county-owned property at 30723 Old US 20, approving an easement for the Southwest 4-acre sanitary sewer project at 24348 County Road 142 pending legal review, joining the South Bend–Elkhart Regional Partnership to pursue state funding, approving a network upgrade work order with Interlink subject to legal review, and authorizing preliminary engineering for Bridge 253.

The actions were presented by county staff during the public meeting. May Kratzer of Planning and Development told commissioners the county received a single bid for demolition of the county-owned parcel at 30723 Old US 20 and that the bid — from B and E Excavating — was for $5,300. "We did get 1 bid, so it does happen to be the lowest bid because it's the only bid," Kratzer said. Commissioners moved and seconded the item; the record shows the motion passed 2 to 0.

County Attorney Craig Witch reviewed an item related to the Southwest 4-acre sanitary sewer project and a dedication of an easement and equipment at 24348 County Road 142. Witch recommended approval "subject to final legal approval." Commissioners approved the easement motion with the same condition; the vote is recorded as 2 to 0.

Jeff Taylor, county administrator, described an agreement to participate in the South Bend—Elkhart Regional Partnership, a regional organization that helps local governments and other partners secure state funding. "Several $1,000,000 has been brought into our community for different organizations as a result of the efforts," Taylor said. Commissioners approved the county's participation by a 2-to-0 vote.

Staff also presented a work order from Interlink for a countywide network upgrade. According to the work-order figures provided in the meeting, labor was listed at $481,641 and equipment at $926,241.38. Taylor and legal staff recommended approval "subject to legal considerations;" commissioners voted to approve the work order pending those legal reviews.

Kyle Wagner of the highway department requested authorization to proceed with preliminary engineering for Bridge 253 (described in the record as being on County Road 1 north of County Road 38), saying the bridge had critical findings identified during inspections and was moved up in the schedule. Wagner said the county used an on-call engineering contract and named Trevor McKenzie in the discussion of consultant selection. Commissioners authorized the preliminary engineering work and moved forward by voice vote.

Routine business items also included approval of payroll and regular claims; that motion carried by voice vote during the meeting.

Several motions were recorded as passing by a 2-to-0 tally in the meeting record; multiple items were explicitly approved "subject to legal" review or final legal approval. For items that remain contingent on legal review, staff indicated next steps would include finalizing legal documents before contract execution or easement recording.

Votes at a glance

- Payroll and regular claims: approved (voice vote; recorded as carried unanimously). - Award demolition contract, 30723 Old US 20 (B and E Excavating), $5,300: approved, 2 to 0. - Easement and equipment dedication, 24348 County Road 142 (Southwest 4-acre sanitary sewer project): approved subject to final legal approval, 2 to 0. - Agreement to participate in South Bend–Elkhart Regional Partnership: approved, 2 to 0. - Work order for Interlink network upgrade (labor $481,641; equipment $926,241.38): approved pending legal review, 2 to 0. - Authorization to proceed with preliminary engineering for Bridge 253 (on County Road 1 north of County Road 38): approved, 2 to 0.

What happens next

Items approved "subject to legal" will return to administration for final review and execution. The bridge item will proceed to preliminary engineering under the selected on-call consultant; the network upgrade will proceed to contracting steps after legal completes its review. The county administrator indicated the regional partnership agreement positions the county to compete for state funds through the collaborative vehicle.