Goshen board retroactively approves 2025 stormwater report; program funding continued

Jason Kaufman, the city's stormwater coordinator, asked the board to retroactively approve Mayor Licky's signing of Goshen's 2025 municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) annual report, which was submitted April 1, 2026 to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Kaufman summarized key points from the report: the stormwater department and partners ran 45 educational activities in 2025 and, counting the county fair booth, reached over 100,000 people; 21 illicit discharges were reported, investigated and eliminated; 37 active construction projects held construction stormwater permits; and staff conducted 230 site inspections (199 by the city and 31 by the county SWCD). The department issued 15 notices of violation across 12 projects and assessed two fines.

Kaufman also noted street sweeping and storm drain cleaning outputs: the street sweeping program collected roughly 1,285.84 tons of debris and the water and sewer department collected about 1,712 cubic yards of debris; both were taken to Elkart County facilities. Kaufman said IDEM is updating the MS4 general permit and expects a new permit by the end of 2026.

The board voted unanimously to retroactively approve the mayor's signing of the MS4 annual report.

Why it matters: MS4 reporting documents the city's compliance activities, enforcement actions and public-education work required under state permit responsibilities and factors into future permit requirements.

Next steps: Staff will continue coordination with IDEM on the updated MS4 permit and implement corrective actions where inspections produced violations.