Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elkhart board approves contracts, tech purchases and several enforcement penalties
Summary
At its July 7 meeting, the Board of Public Works approved a series of contracts and purchases — including Placer.ai ($22,000) and AT&T CradlePoints ($59,670) — awarded a $636,408 retaining-wall bid, and assessed penalties for Continental Industries and Voyant Beauty totaling $1,000 in recommended fines.
The Elkhart Board of Public Works handled a broad set of procurement and enforcement items July 7, approving technology contracts, insurance and vehicle purchases, and penalties for permit violations.
Key approvals included a $22,000 annual service contract with Placer.ai for foot-traffic and demographic analytics, approved by the board after Development Services Director Mike Huber (speaker 10) described expected uses for economic development and event measurement. "Between parks and development services, we feel there are a lot of benefits," Huber said.
The board also approved an administrative modification to the city’s Samsara telematics agreement (switching factory-built Ford modems to plug-in modules and adding newly acquired vehicles), a $59,670 purchase of Cradlepoint units through AT&T for police vehicle connectivity (John Kroom, IT, noted a significant discount and FirstNet compatibility), and the award of bid 26-11 (Indiana Avenue retaining wall improvements) to La Porte Construction for $636,408 after staff corrected a bidder’s math error.
On enforcement, the board approved recommended penalties under the enforcement response plan: a $500 penalty for Continental Industries for a phenol exceedance and a separate $500 penalty for Voyant Beauty for a mercury exceedance. Steve Brown noted the city is coordinating with EPA on a mercury-minimization approach because the local mercury limit is very low.
Other approved items included a modest insurance payment to Church Mutual Insurance Company ($1,708.45 recorded in the contract), a replacement F-250 for the cemetery department funded partly by an insurance settlement, and DORA (designated outdoor refreshment area) approvals for the Elkhart Public Library, Bridal Tap and Table (revised application) and the Lerner Theatre.
Votes on these items were taken by voice; the board also approved routine minutes and the claims docket. The meeting concluded with the award of the retaining-wall contract and adjournment.
