Committee backs reduced law enforcement services, caps 2026 contract at $20,000 and forwards to council

The Fountain City Police/Personnel & Health/Safety Committee agreed Nov. 18 to continue reduced law enforcement services for 2026 under a contract not to exceed $20,000 and will forward the proposal to the full city council for consideration.

Chair Barb Schmidtknecht called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and recorded the roll call that showed Committee members Peter Schaffner and David Endres present; Mayor Ben Adank attended and presented the proposed law enforcement services contract. Committee member Peter Schaffner moved to approve the Nov. 11 minutes; Committee member David Endres seconded the motion and the minutes were approved.

Mayor Ben Adank presented the new contract proposal and outlined that the committee would continue with reduced services in 2026. The committee’s decision caps the contract at $20,000 for the year and specifies that the scope will include limited patrol hours and the processing of city ordinance violations. The transcript records that the committee “agreed to continue with reduced services not to exceed $20,000 for 2026” and that the item will be forwarded to the full council for consideration.

There is no recorded roll-call vote attached to the committee’s decision on the contract in the transcript; the record indicates agreement and a referral to council rather than a detailed tally. The meeting adjourned at 4:23 p.m. following a motion to adjourn by Committee member Peter Schaffner, seconded by Chair Barb Schmidtknecht.

Next steps: the contract proposal will be considered by the full Fountain City council at a future meeting; the transcript does not specify a council hearing date or further implementation details.