Indianapolis Municipal Corporations Committee Meeting - September 11, 2025
Indianapolis Municipal Corporations Committee Meeting - September 11, 2025
The Municipal Corporations Committee of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council met on September 11, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City-County Building Public Assembly Room. The committee heard budget presentations from the Indianapolis Airport Authority and the Capital Improvements Board, and considered two proposals related to Library bonds. The meeting lasted approximately two hours.
Discussion Items
Indianapolis Airport Authority Budget Presentation
Executive Director Mario Rodriguez and staff presented the Airport Authority's 2026 budget. Over the past decade, the airport increased nonstop flights, reduced debt by $100 million, grew assets by $500 million, and reached a record 10.5 million passengers. Reserves increased 88% to 530 operating days (approximately $350 million), and 91% of capital spending ($211 million) was local in 2024. Capital projects highlighted: $76 million parking garage expansion (1,500 spaces, solar canopy), $315 million runway reconstruction (first airport in the world to receive Envision Platinum certification for a runway), a planned 253-room Westin terminal hotel, and a $140 million baggage handling system upgrade. The operating budget request is $247.4 million; the capital improvement fund request is $330 million. No local tax dollars support the airport; all funding comes from user fees. Questions from councilors covered the definition of "local" (state of Indiana), community reinvestment (no separate budget due to federal restrictions), public safety, and firefighter pension negotiations. The airport's firefighting force is not part of IFD; contract negotiations are ongoing.
Library Bond Proposals (Nos. 280 & 281)
Lolita Campbell, CFO of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, presented the proposals authorizing up to $15 million in general obligation bonds for the 2025-2026 Multi-Facility Long-Term Capital Maintenance and Equipment Update Project. Approximately 60% of funds will renovate the West Indianapolis branch; the remainder will cover multi-facility improvements, collections, and IT. Repayment is over three years at an estimated 5.5% interest ($1.5 million in interest), with no increase in the debt service tax rate (maintained at 3.18 cents). The bonds fall well within the statutory debt limitation. Councilor Brown asked about the necessity of bonding; staff explained it is standard practice for Indiana libraries. Councilor Gibson expressed strong concerns about the condition of the East 38th Street Library (soiled carpet, lack of maintenance, safety issues) and urged prioritization of renovations there. Staff promised to follow up with the CEO. The committee combined both proposals for a single vote.
Capital Improvements Board (CIB) Budget Presentation
CEO Andy Mallon and staff presented the CIB's 2026 budget. Revenues are budgeted at $212 million (down 10% from 2025), expenses at $247 million (down 9%), resulting in a net deficit of $35.5 million. Unrestricted operating reserves were $239 million as of June 2025; the board typically overperforms its budget (e.g., 2024 actual was +$29 million despite a budgeted -$55.5 million). Key initiatives: security enhancements following a 2024 employee tragedy (hired a dedicated security director, engaged Tenio consulting), continued work on the convention center expansion and hotel, three new skybridges ($8 million each), $7 million Wi-Fi upgrade at Lucas Oil Stadium, and $4 million Victory Field seating replacement. DEI report: 17% MBE spend on $40 million in total XBE payments; councilor Graves questioned whether this percentage was meaningful relative to overall spend and urged greater inclusion of veteran-, women-, and minority-owned businesses. CIB noted they are implementing a new procurement software to better track diversity spending. Councilor Bain asked about public safety grants ($3.6 million to the city annually from admissions taxes). Councilor Gibson inquired about Indiana Black Expo partnership and progress on a potential new MLS stadium; Mallon confirmed initial design work is underway with a budget of $2 million (hoping to spend half), aiming for a concept by year-end.
Key Outcomes
- The committee voted unanimously to forward Proposals No. 280 and 281 to the full City-County Council with a "do pass" recommendation. (Motion by Councilor Graves, seconded, voice vote all ayes.)
- No votes were taken on the budget hearings; they were informational. The CIB will present again for formal budget approval at a later meeting.
- The committee adjourned after two hours.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to tonight's municipal corporations committee meeting. I am Chairman Jared Evans. We're going to begin with introductions, starting with the bottom left, Councillor Hart. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My name is Michael Paul Hart, representing District 20. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mike Dill, District 24. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Josh Bain, District 21. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Brian Mowra, District 25. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Renee Allen, District 15, the far east side. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Jesse Brown, District 13, near North Near East Side. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Kristen Jones, District 18. Thank you, sir. Allie Brown, District 10. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, everyone. Keith Graves, District 9 on the Indianapolis side. Thank you, colleagues. And again, I am Chairman Jared Evans. With consent committee, I would like to move the uh budget hearing of the Indianapolis Airport Authority to right now since we are missing someone from the uh library board. All right, airport authority. You guys are you're up. Tonight we'll be hearing proposals number 280 and 281 from the library board once they're here. Chair, members of the committee. Uh my name is Mario Rodriguez. I'm the executive uh director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority. With me we have Holly Harrington, and I'll let her introduce herself uh once she goes up to speak. We're gonna do a couple of some musical chairs and our exceptional staff is gonna come up here and go through the budget, but my job is really easy. I'm gonna show you what has happened. We look back the last decade, it's gonna be very short, but I'll show you what happened because it it is it is very striking how the airport has moved forward today. If you look back 10 years, we have more nonstops than ever before by a long shot. We have more airlines, we have less debt and more assets. We have about half a billion dollars more in assets and a hundred million dollars less in debt. We have more passengers than ever before, ten and a half million passengers, and we've increased our reserves by 88 percent. So that means the airport could operate without a penny of revenue for over 530 days. That means we have about 350 million dollars in the bank, which is not a bad amount of money.
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