Ryan Conrad

The agenda for the meeting included several key items for approval. These items comprised a request from Interra Credit Union to close and utilize the City's Powerhouse parking lot for their annual "Shred-It Days" event scheduled for June 5 and 6, 2026. The Legal Department sought approval for agreements with five entities: Downtown Goshen, Inc. ($50,000), First In -- Chaplain Crisis Response Team ($10,000), Goshen Historical Society Museum ($15,000), South Bend -- Elkhart Regional Partnership ($2,750), and Warsaw Housing Authority ($35,000), authorizing Mayor Leichty to execute these agreements. Additionally, the Engineering Department requested approval for periodic lane closures on College Avenue extending from March 6 through July 31, 2026. Finally, the Clerk-Treasurer's Office requested permission to void outstanding warrants dated on or before December 31, 2022, totaling $4,461.53. The minutes from the previous meeting were not yet ready for approval.

Key discussions and actions during the meeting included the acceptance of the resignation of Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Fairfield, effective February 2, 2026, noting that he fulfilled his conditional offer obligation by paying the City $5,000. The Board approved an agreement with Chris Russell for receivership services at 1615 West Wilden Avenue, authorizing the Mayor to execute it. Resolution 2026-04 was approved, authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with Elkhart County for Animal Control Services, with the City contributing $93,940 for 2026 services. Resolution 2026-06 was passed, declaring various items of IT equipment, including towers, laptops, monitors, and peripherals, as surplus to be disposed of. The Board approved Amendment 2 to the contract with Rowell Chemical Corporation for sodium hypochlorite, extending the contract through December 31, 2026, and noting a price reduction to $1.70 per gallon for 2026. An amendment was approved to renew the lawn services contract with Cohn Avila d/b/a Yardshark for the 2026 mowing season. The Uniform Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement for Assistant City Attorney Donald Shuler for 2026 legal services was accepted. Finally, an agreement was approved with Greencroft Goshen for the completion of the project at 2064 and 2066 Whispering Pines, with final site stabilization work scheduled for completion by June 15, 2026.

The meeting agenda primarily addressed personnel actions, including the promotion of two probationary police officers, retroactive to February 24, 2026, and the approval of a Fire Department Sergeant's resignation and retirement, effective March 15, 2026. Engineering Department requests involved rejecting all bids for the 2026 Asphalt Paving Bid Package B project and directing staff on next steps. Several change orders were presented for approval: one for the College Avenue Phase 1 Tree Removal Project increasing the final contract amount by $6,470.52, and another for the Annex Re-Roof Project that included a 60-day time extension to April 30, 2026, and an increase of $8,159.00 for additional tiles and accounting corrections. The Board was also requested to approve the extension of the Jefferson Street closure until May 1, 2026, and to approve the signing of an agreement with Fedewa, Inc., for the Clinton Water Tower Painting project for $143,800.00. Finally, approval was sought for the execution of an agreement for the Completion of the Burton's Laundry project and the encumbrance of $13,396,365.49 from the 2025 City of Goshen budget into the 2026 budget.

The Board meeting included several key actions. The agenda was amended to include three additional requests from the Legal Department: approving 2026 marketing services agreement with Eyedart Creative Studio, and authorizing agreements with AllOne Health for the 2026 Police Department Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and the general City Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The Board approved street and parking space closures for the January 2, 2026, First Friday Fire and Ice Festival. Approvals were granted for support agreements for 2026 with Goshen Theater, Inc. ($50,000), Chain Reaction Bicycle Project, Inc. ($4,300), and The Goshen Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc. d/b/a First Light Mission ($30,000). Contract awards were approved for the College Avenue Phase I Tree Clearing project to Cut-Rite Tree Service/Homer II LLC ($45,201.38), the College Avenue Sewer Encasement project to Niblock Excavating ($190,529), the 2025 Community Sidewalk Improvement project to DC Construction ($1,171,800), and the 2026 Asphalt Paving project to DC Construction ($1,575,674.63). The Board also approved the proposed 2026 budgets for Goshen Water and Goshen Wastewater Utilities. Discussions provided extensive detail regarding the Water and Wastewater budgets, planned capital investments, and the City's compliance status regarding lead in water lines compared to other municipalities.

The agenda for the meeting scheduled for February 24, 2026, included several public hearing items requiring variances. Specifically, the board was set to consider a request for a developmental variance (26-02DV) regarding a front building setback for the construction of a three-townhome building at 219 N 5th Street. Additionally, a use variance (26-03UV) was scheduled for a public hearing to allow an addition to an existing home for a second dwelling unit at 611 N Greene Road, which is currently zoned R-1. The agenda also covered the filing of zoning ordinances and staff reports, and public input items.