# CITY COUNCIL MEETING 1080 Oct 5

The Elkhart City Council meeting, titled October 5, 2026 (metadata timestamp: October 6), held a public hearing on the proposed 2027 operating budget, Ordinance 26-33. A speaker asked about the city tax rate, but the council continued the ordinance to its October 15 meeting. The council approved a $90,000 appropriation for Prairie Cemetery fencing, after asking whether competitive bids were obtained; staff said the Board of Public Works generally selects the lowest bid. It also considered a $77,169.34 appropriation for six solar-powered park cameras. Staff said multiple vendor quotes were reviewed, the selected option was mid-range and had no subscription fee, and the equipment carried a five-year warranty. Council members and a public speaker raised concerns about cost, surveillance, and alternatives; the transcript does not clearly preserve the final vote tally.

The council unanimously approved Ordinance 26-38, updating building and permit fees after comparison with regional communities; staff said the fees had not been updated in 11–12 years and that state law limits future increases to once every five years beginning in 2027. It also adopted the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), following a multi-year update involving Rondell Ernstberger and Associates, and approved its fee schedule, with two missing fee descriptions corrected during discussion. The UDO changes zoning and development procedures and may affect future development opportunities. In other business, a council member said the city had been without an active police contract for several months; HR staff were to coordinate negotiations with the designated council members. The transcript identifies a proposed $1,858,000 appropriation on first reading but provides no further details.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Public Safety
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure, Policy
**Published:** October 06, 2026

### Sources
- [CITY COUNCIL MEETING 1080 Oct 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8e_Z6-I9sc) - CityOfElkhartIN