Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting - March 3, 2026
Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting - March 3, 2026
The Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety met on March 3, 2026, to consider several routine approvals, a sole-source equipment purchase, engineering contracts, and community announcements. All items were approved unanimously with no public comments or opposition.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The board approved the minutes of the previous meeting.
- Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The board accepted conflict of interest statements from Charles Smith Jr. (Columbus Rec Parks and Recreation Board Member), Brian Walsh, Nathan Hazel, John Neisted (all on the insurance review committee), and Travis Calhoun (Associate Director of Treatment Operations for Utilities).
- DORA Temporary Vendor Permit: Approved a request from Elevate Events to serve alcohol at an Arts Council event on March 5, 2026.
- Special Use of Right-of-Way: Approved the weekly summary of special use of right-of-way requests.
- Release of Performance Guarantee – Wind Star Woods: Released $13,894.91 for seven lots of sidewalk in the Wind Star Woods major subdivision.
- Notice to Bidders – Riverfront Tree Mitigation (CRC-26-01): Approved the notice to bidders for a DNR-required tree mitigation project, replacing trees cut down during the riverfront project on city-owned property behind City Hall.
- Contract with Wessler Engineering – Post-Construction Records: Approved a contract with Wessler Engineering to help the city comply with its IDEM MS4 permit by inspecting approximately 375 privately owned stormwater BMPs every five years.
- Stormwater Utility Implementation Proposal: Approved a proposal from Wessler Engineering to develop ordinances, policy manuals, and background documents for a stormwater utility, which will later be presented to the Columbus City Council for approval.
- Claims Dockets: Approved 18 dockets of claims.
Discussion Items
- Purchase of Brine Machine: The board discussed and approved the sole-source purchase of a brine machine from Vera Tech Industries for $43,250. The machine will be installed at the new Arcadia Street DPW site and will replace a 22-year-old unit. The new machine will automate the mixing of brine (salt and water) for road treatment before snowstorms, improving consistency and eliminating manual testing. The purchase was included in the 2026 capital budget.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous (ayes from all present, no opposed votes).
- The brine machine purchase was approved as presented.
- All consent calendar items were approved.
- The board adjourned following the claims approval.
Community Announcements
- Jody reminded attendees that First Thursdays Downtown Columbus will be held on March 5, 2026, from 4 to 8 PM with a spring awakening theme. The event includes late store hours and specials, and coincides with the Arts Council event at the Arts Gallery and Eleven Gallery.
- First Fridays at the Commons will offer family activities on March 6.
- Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2 AM, with clocks moving forward one hour.
Meeting Transcript
Not here. So I'm sure he'll join us. We can do approval of the minutes. We don't need him for that. I'll move to approve the minutes. Second. We have a motion, second to approve the meeting minutes is presented. All in favor, please say hi. Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed same sign. Motion carries. Come up to the table, Brian. Can we talk about a brine machine? Brian machine. That's as fascinating. Actually, I tell it's sort of interesting. All right, are we ready or wait a minute? Go ahead. Okay. So uh we are looking to purchase a brine machine. That's what makes our mixture for the uh the road treatment when we treat the roads uh prior to a storm, uh snowstorm. Um this machine will be um put at the new Arcadia S DPW site that we're gonna um have this installed out there at the new DPW site. Um so we did not get quotes, so this would be a sole source because the equipment that we have now um is from this manufacturer, Vera Tech. Um so we still have our current machine at our old facility, but it's got age on it. I think it's 2004, so that's why we're updating. So this is all in the 2026 capital budget, and the cost is 43,250. We like the board's approval to move this machine. So it makes fine or it spreads brine. It makes the brine. So it's actually the brine machine that they got the augur agitator, and we put salt in there and some water, and then it's got the big tank outside, then we fill our trucks from this machine. Can you use it for anything else? No, that's uh basically what it's used for is just the brine. You think that Shilly Cooking like can I tell you that I have special words when I see the brine on the roads? Special words words that I say to myself in my road. Just so you know. So you're replacing the current one that you have rather than moving it to your new location. Correct, because it's uh 22 years old, and uh so we'll be purchasing this new new machine. This has got updated stuff, so the consistency is gonna be the same. This is electronics, electronics have approved, and so on. Right now they got a barometer and they our guys have to mix it and then they have to test it and so on so forth. Oh better. We won't have to do that anymore to be automated and stay consistent. 43,000, that's a little salty. I think a new building deserves a new brine machine. I'll move that we approve the quote for or the purchase of the brine machine for public works. Oh, second. So we have a motion, a second to approve the um the brine brine boss quote from Bureau Tech Industries as presented. All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
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