Elkhart County Council cuts Concord Township assessor pay to $35,568, approves $985,000 jail boiler appropriation and other measures

The Elkhart County Council on Dec. 18 adopted a package of staffing, budget and procedural measures, approving an ordinance that cuts the Concord Township assessor’s elected salary and approving a $985,000 emergency appropriation to repair and replace failing jail boilers.

County Attorney Steve Olsen explained ordinance CC2025-27, which amends the 2026 county salary ordinance to reduce the Concord Township assessor’s salary from $73,051 to $35,568 effective Jan. 1, 2026 and to set the chief deputy’s pay at 75% of the elected assessor’s salary for transition periods. Olsen said the change preserves the deputy’s current salary through Jan. 15, 2026 while council considers the Concord Township budget for 2026. The motion to adopt the salary amendment was moved by Council Member Clark and seconded by Council Member Randy; the council approved it by voice vote.

Commissioner Brad Rogers had earlier told the council the Concord Township assessor resigned Dec. 15, 2025 and that commissioners recommend reducing the salary and reorganizing the assessor office’s budget to allow county…