OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Board of Public Works Meeting Summary - November 12, 2025

Other Meetings (A-H) — Wednesday, November 12, 2025
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (A-H)
DateWednesday, November 12, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:11:33

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Good afternoon.

0:03

I'd like to call to the November 12th Board of Public Works meeting to order.

0:06

I'm Todd Wilson, director and chairman of the board.

0:09

Board members, please introduce yourselves starting to my right.

0:12

Good afternoon, Susie Cordy.

0:14

Dan Haig.

0:15

Idris Redman.

0:16

Leslie Schulte.

0:18

Thank you.

0:19

I also like to introduce our board counsel Benjamin Moracle behind me and our board coordinator Jennifer Dominguez and other DPW staff.

0:28

Also like to welcome Sebeka Jawanza.

0:30

Board member.

0:33

First item on the agenda.

0:37

It's to adopt a November 12th revised agenda.

0:40

Do I have a motion to adopt the agenda?

0:42

So moved by Susie Cordy.

0:44

Do I have a second?

0:46

Seconded by Eegis Redman.

0:48

All in favor, signify by saying aye.

0:49

Aye.

0:50

Any opposed?

0:51

And motion carries.

0:53

Next item on the agenda, approval of minutes.

0:55

Do I have a motion to approve the October 8th and October 22nd meeting minutes?

1:01

So moved by Aegis Redman.

1:03

Do you have a second?

1:05

Second by Dan Hake.

1:06

All in favor signified by saying aye.

1:08

Aye.

1:09

Any opposed?

1:11

That motion carries.

1:13

So uh next item on the agenda is a presentation for our snow response plan, and I'll be giving that uh presentation to the board.

1:21

So I'll go down there and I don't know if you need us or not.

1:25

If we need to keep them in order or anything, do we not have the PowerPoint pulled up?

1:59

We give one moment, we'll get the PowerPoint pulled up on the on the TV.

3:13

There we go.

3:14

Very good.

3:14

Thanks for getting us set up.

3:15

Uh good afternoon, board members Todd Wilson.

3:18

Uh Director DPW.

3:19

Um I'm here before you to give you a presentation on the DPW snow fight policy updates.

3:26

Uh this policy update was spurred from the spring uh city county general ordinance number six, twenty twenty five.

3:36

It's a proposal number sixty-nine, twenty twenty-five, where it amends chapter six twenty-one, article three of the uh ordinance for snow emergency routes, um, which requires snow removal services on local streets.

3:53

Um, this amendment adds definitions for the second and third priority streets.

3:59

It also mandates that DPW initiates a snow removal policy that is approved by yourselves, the board of public works, and is also presented to the city county council public works committee, which will happen next week on November 20th.

4:15

Um this amendment also provides provisions that ensures that priority two streets be plowed at a two-inch threshold, and priority three streets be plowed at a four-inch threshold.

4:28

And we'll talk about what those priorities mean going forward.

4:32

Um, it also uh adds in language for uh DPW to provide a priority network for bike infrastructure.

4:40

Uh from the day uh I stand in front of public works committee this spring to acknowledge the ordinance amendment.

4:49

DPW staff has taken a deep dive into the response, historical information, staff interviews, peer city interviews, equipment, and technology, and other items related to our snow response.

5:06

Next slide, please.

5:30

Our priority streets, also known as connectors, are streets like Auburn Street, which connects to Washington Street, a Drexel Avenue, or Ritter Avenue that connects to Madison Avenue, or any streets abutting schools, publicly funded preschools, trustees' offices, and township small claims courts.

5:50

And then finally, our priority three street networks are our residential streets.

5:57

For example, maybe a Carrollton Avenue, Audubon Road or Hawthorne Lane.

6:03

Next slide, please.

6:05

This slide basically shows two different ways in to uh quantify in percentage the roadway networks that we're uh addressing.

6:17

Our priority ones through lane miles are the most, but through center lane miles, our priority three is the highest.

6:25

It's just this as this uh slide is just showing you that we have way more residential roadways than we do our uh thoroughfare network, but our thoroughfare network has met many more lanes to address as well, and we do um curb to curb uh clearing for our thoroughfare networks as well.

6:45

Next slide, please.

6:48

So this slide says who does what and when do they do it?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Snow Removal█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████████████████29%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Public Engagement████4%
Public Works██2%
Active Transportation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Board of Public Works Meeting Summary - November 12, 2025

The Board of Public Works convened to discuss and approve routine administrative items, review the new DPW Snow Response Plan, and finalize several professional service amendments and construction bid awards. A significant portion of the meeting involved a detailed presentation on the updated snow policy, including priority street definitions, contractor protocols, and bike infrastructure clearing, followed by discussion regarding the implementation timeline and communication strategies.

Consent Calendar

  • Agenda Adoption: Motion to adopt the revised November 12th agenda carried unanimously (Moved by Susie Cordy, Seconded by Idris Redman).
  • Minutes Approval: Motion to approve the meeting minutes from October 8th and October 22nd carried unanimously (Moved by Idris Redman, Seconded by Dan Haig).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Susie Cordy: Expressed frustration regarding the lack of visible street clearing during the recent snow event, citing specific streets (Midhoffer, Rawls, Franklin, Post) as messy and questioning the timing of DPW crew deployment. She also noted the absence of a DPW spokesperson on local news compared to previous years.
  • Board Member (Unidentified in transcript): Expressed concern that the board might be operating under an ineffective 2024 policy if the new plan is not approved immediately, emphasizing the urgency of a new plan due to the current snow season.
  • Community Members/Staff Questions: Members raised concerns about the exclusion of certain trails (Pleasant Run, Eagle Creek) from the priority network and the potential for contractors to damage parked cars or rely on subcontractors.

Discussion Items

  • DPW Snow Response Plan Presentation: Director Todd Wilson presented the updated policy prompted by Ordinance 6, Item 69 (2025). Key points included:
    • Priorities: Priority 1 (Connectors/Thoroughfares), Priority 2 (Streets abutting schools/courts), and Priority 3 (Residential streets).
    • Thresholds: Priority 2 streets plowed at 2 inches; Priority 3 streets plowed at 4 inches (contractors used for one-passable lane, not curb-to-curb, with no salt). Priority 1 cleared curb-to-curb at 0-2 inches.
    • Bike Infrastructure: Monon, Fall Creek, Nickel Plate, Pense, and BNO trails are part of the priority network; protected bike lanes are cleared curb-to-curb on thoroughfares (e.g., Allisonville Road) but not currently prioritized for dedicated equipment like the incoming Kubotas.
    • Operations: DPW union staff (70 drivers, 15 laborers, 9 heavy operators) deploy for events under 4 inches. Contractors are mobilized for events over 4 inches or specific residential needs. Salt barns are fully stocked.
  • Board Decision on Snow Plan Vote: Board member Leslie Schulte moved to table the formal vote on the new snow plan until the next meeting (December) to allow for further deliberation, citing the complexity and impact of the policy.
    • Procedural Clarification: Staff clarified that the ordinance requires review by the City County Council Public Works Committee on November 20th. To present the plan then, a special board meeting would be required to approve it before the council date.
    • Interim Motion: To address the snow season urgency without waiting, Board member Idris Redman moved to authorize DPW to "operate under the new snow policy" immediately as if it were approved, pending formal ratification at a future special session. This motion carried unanimously (Moved by Idris Redman, Seconded by [Unknown], All Aye).
  • Bid Award for Snow Contractors: Sam Barris presented the RFB 14 DPW 1745 results. Five contractors (Clear Path, Sherco Snow, Raskin Associates, Jay Yarling, Ram Lawn Care) were awarded two-year term agreements to plow residential areas based on lowest responsive bids and capacity.
    • Accountability: Staff confirmed mechanisms to track contractor performance (e.g., missing streets, damage, tort claims) and noted that some contractors may utilize subcontractors.

Key Outcomes

  • Snow Policy Interim Authorization: The Board voted to operate under the new snow response policy immediately pending a future special meeting for formal board approval, allowing the plan to be presented to the Public Works Committee on November 20th.
  • Snow Plowing Bid Awards: Approved the awards of snow plowing services to Clear Path Facilities Services LLC, Sherco Snow LLC, Raskin Associates Inc., Jay Yarling, and Ram Lawn Care for a two-year term (Motion carried: All Aye).
  • Construction Bid Approval: Approved the award of Small Structural Replacement on Lynnhurst Drive and Tibbs Avenue to William Charles Construction Company LLC for $2,550,040 (Motion carried: All Aye).
  • Change Orders Approved:
    • SD-19-073 (Dr. AJ Brown 30th Keystone Drainage Improvements) with Eagle Valley Inc. (Increase: $14,966.96).
    • ENG-23-013 (On-call geotechnical services) with CTL Engineering (Increase: $100,000).
    • ENG-23-007 (On-call transportation design) with HNTB (No change to amount, extension to Dec 31, 2026).
    • ENG-20-007 (On-call transportation and inspection) with CTL Engineering (Increase: $100,000).
  • Professional Service Amendments Approved:
    • ENG-2108 (Stormwater design) with Resolution Group Inc. (Increase: $100,000; Total: $1M).
    • SY23005 (Stormwater program mgmt) with American Structure Point Inc. (Increase: $4.5M; Total: $14.1M).
    • ENG-21027 (Dam and levy services) with Tetra Tech Inc. (No change; extension).
    • CH3203 (Pogos Run daylighting) with GAI Consultants Inc. (No change; extension).
    • SY22009 (DNR in-lieu mitigation) with Stan Tech (No change; extension).
    • SY23011 (New products review) with DLZ Indiana LLC (No change; extension).
    • ENG-21-002 (On-call design) with First Group Engineering (No change; extension).
    • ENG-21-017 (On-call transportation design) with First Group Engineering (No change; extension).
    • ENG-23-006 (On-call transportation design) with Hanson Professional Services (No change; extension).
    • ENG-23-003 (On-call stormwater inspection) with CHA Consulting (No change; extension).
    • RFP 14 DPW 1232 (Underground utility locating) with Sanitary Management and Engineering (Extension to Dec 31, 2026).
  • Final Acceptances Approved:
    • CL-16-069 (Small structural replacement, 5030 North Muller Road) with Edge Construction LLC.
    • CL-12-045 (Bridge replacement, 5422 East 56 Street) with Yarbury Companies Inc.
    • ST-23-078 (Residential street reconstruction sector two) with Calumet Civil Contractors Inc.

All motions listed above in the Key Outcomes section carried unanimously (All Aye, No Opposed).

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. I'd like to call to the November 12th Board of Public Works meeting to order. I'm Todd Wilson, director and chairman of the board. Board members, please introduce yourselves starting to my right. Good afternoon, Susie Cordy. Dan Haig. Idris Redman. Leslie Schulte. Thank you. I also like to introduce our board counsel Benjamin Moracle behind me and our board coordinator Jennifer Dominguez and other DPW staff. Also like to welcome Sebeka Jawanza. Board member. First item on the agenda. It's to adopt a November 12th revised agenda. Do I have a motion to adopt the agenda? So moved by Susie Cordy. Do I have a second? Seconded by Eegis Redman. All in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? And motion carries. Next item on the agenda, approval of minutes. Do I have a motion to approve the October 8th and October 22nd meeting minutes? So moved by Aegis Redman. Do you have a second? Second by Dan Hake. All in favor signified by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. So uh next item on the agenda is a presentation for our snow response plan, and I'll be giving that uh presentation to the board. So I'll go down there and I don't know if you need us or not. If we need to keep them in order or anything, do we not have the PowerPoint pulled up? We give one moment, we'll get the PowerPoint pulled up on the on the TV. There we go. Very good. Thanks for getting us set up. Uh good afternoon, board members Todd Wilson. Uh Director DPW. Um I'm here before you to give you a presentation on the DPW snow fight policy updates. Uh this policy update was spurred from the spring uh city county general ordinance number six, twenty twenty five. It's a proposal number sixty-nine, twenty twenty-five, where it amends chapter six twenty-one, article three of the uh ordinance for snow emergency routes, um, which requires snow removal services on local streets. Um, this amendment adds definitions for the second and third priority streets. It also mandates that DPW initiates a snow removal policy that is approved by yourselves, the board of public works, and is also presented to the city county council public works committee, which will happen next week on November 20th. Um this amendment also provides provisions that ensures that priority two streets be plowed at a two-inch threshold, and priority three streets be plowed at a four-inch threshold. And we'll talk about what those priorities mean going forward. Um, it also uh adds in language for uh DPW to provide a priority network for bike infrastructure. Uh from the day uh I stand in front of public works committee this spring to acknowledge the ordinance amendment. DPW staff has taken a deep dive into the response, historical information, staff interviews, peer city interviews, equipment, and technology, and other items related to our snow response.

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