St. Joseph County commissioners approve routine contracts, reappoint airport authority member and table demolition hearings

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday and approved a series of routine actions including accounts payable, recently passed county-council bills and several vendor agreements, while tabling demolition hearings until next week.

The board approved the accounts payable docket and a package of 16 bills that the county council had passed, each carried by voice vote with Commissioners Dieter, Hazen and Baxmayer recorded as voting "Aye." Chair (unnamed) announced the ordinances approved.

The board also addressed appointments and contracts. Responding to a letter from the South Bend Airport Authority, commissioners opened nominations and reappointed David Sage; the chair said Sage "has done a good job" in his role as board president. The motion to reappoint carried unanimously.

Commissioners took a request to table the demolition hearings and voted to postpone those hearings to the next meeting. A personnel item — a contractual employment agreement for Emily Stuecky — was removed from the agenda at the judge's request and the removal was approved by the board.

On contracts and technology upgrades, the board approved a four-year Dell master lease for the county's PSAP (911) centers to replace computers, monitors and peripherals that are approaching five years old. Sal Parisi, IT manager for the St. Joseph County 911 Center, said the lease covers equipment at both the primary and backup centers. "This is a 4 year lease agreement, with Dell to replace the current computers, monitors, peripherals, at our primary and backup centers," Parisi said.

The board also approved a Debtbook contract and addendum. Abby Doyle, chief deputy auditor, said the county selected the tier that covers leases, software subscriptions and debt management for bonds held by the redevelopment commission and the county as a whole. "This is gonna cover leases, subscriptions, and debt," Doyle told commissioners.

The recorder presented and the board approved a Laredo agreement related to data access for Michael Farrell; staff noted such agreements are regularly approved.

Votes at a glance: - Accounts payable docket: approved (Commissioners Dieter, Hazen, Baxmayer — Aye). - 16 bills passed by county council: approved (Dieter, Hazen, Baxmayer — Aye). - Demolition hearings: tabled until next meeting (Aye). - David Sage reappointment to South Bend Airport Authority: approved (Aye). - Emily Stuecky contractual employment agreement: removed from agenda at judge's request (approved removal — Aye). - Debtbook contract and addendum: approved (Aye). - Dell master lease (PSAP 911): approved (Aye). - Laredo data-access agreement (Michael Farrell): approved (Aye).

The board recessed after public comment (no in-person or online commenters were recorded).