Elkhart County approves routine contracts, adds engineering firm to task-order roster

The Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 8 approved several routine procurement items and added an engineering firm to a task-order roster.

Commissioners moved and approved a yearly agreement with Asher's Lawn Care for 2026 snow removal only, with county staff noting the contract mirrors prior years and contains no substantive changes. Joe Lightman of Buildings and Grounds said the contract covers snow removal only and is the "same agreement we've had with them for the last several years." The motion to approve the snow-removal portion passed 'pending legal review.'

County Attorney Steve Olson presented an independent contractor agreement with USI Consultants Inc. for engineering services and explained the agreement incorporates the county's standard contractual language adopted in "ordinance 2025-43." Olson said the new format allows future projects to be added by task order, rather than embedding task details in the ICA. The board approved the agreement, putting USI Consultants on the county's list of approved contractors for task-order work.

Separately, the board approved a task order with Peterson Consulting Services Inc. to perform the county's annual capital asset compilation in coordination with the auditor's office.

No individual roll-call votes were read into the transcript; routine motions were made, seconded and recorded as carried unanimously. The actions are procedural approvals that enable departments to engage contractors or submit task orders; no project-specific task orders or dollar amounts for the USI agreement were presented at the meeting.

The board adjourned after completing these and other agenda items.