Board of Public Works 10 06 2026

The Elkhart Board of Public Works meeting on October 6, 2026, approved emergency authority for the public works director to engage contractors and suppliers to repair the wastewater plant’s failed cloth media disc filter system, and ratified actions already taken. The board was told that multiple contractors had been consulted and informal quotes obtained; staff are fabricating repair parts and monitoring the system to maintain compliance. The failure also prompted plans to accelerate replacement of a redundant screw pump originally scheduled for 2027. The board approved a $24,700 professional-services agreement with SAM LLC for land surveying at the Sunnyside Overpass project, awarded quote 26-15 for Prairie Street Cemetery fencing to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Mike’s Fencing, for $81,793.70, and approved a cemetery vehicle replacement purchase following a three-quote process, with Jordan Ford identified for the award; the vehicle’s price was not stated.

The board approved permission to quote the Municipal Building 88 improvements project (quote 26-20), including ADA-compliant door levers and Braille signage; approved a Talent Source contract to recruit an assistant city engineer; and approved a professional-services agreement for a workforce and staffing analysis for police and fire, following proposals solicited from five firms. It also approved a lead-abatement project data-tracking agreement, a new leased postage meter, and two change orders for the Harrison Street sewer separation project: $29,876 (bringing the contract to $8,347,535.14) and a second increase reported as approximately $24,243.55 (bringing it to $8,371,778.69; the transcript contains a transcription error in the amount). Numerous SRF-funded construction and engineering payment requests were ratified, including $983,553 to C&E Excavating for the Oakland Tank Project C/Harrison Street work. Other actions included a $600 penalty for Bimbo Bakeries’ self-monitoring violations and approval for Food Check to retain its grease interceptor subject to training and monthly pumping. Motions on the listed items passed; no dollar amounts were provided for several agreements and purchases.