Board of Business Neighborhood Services Meeting - June 3, 2026
Board of Business Neighborhood Services Meeting - June 3, 2026
The Board of Business Neighborhood Services (BNS) convened on June 3, 2026, at 8:15 PM (ET) to approve routine items and consider multiple resolutions related to liens, contracts, and vendor renewals. All agenda items were approved unanimously. A public comment was also heard regarding concerns over new gas station construction in the Riverside neighborhood.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the April 23, 2026 meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Matthew Kimbrough (community member) spoke about two new gas stations (Shell and Emoco) being built in the Riverside neighborhood. He expressed concerns that the area already has two gas stations and has been a USDA-defined food desert since the only grocery store closed in 2015. He noted that residents—including elderly and disabled individuals—rely on small shops and a recently opened but resource-limited farm for fresh produce. He requested assistance in stopping the gas stations and advocated for establishing a grocery store. The BNS director offered to connect him with zoning officials.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 2026 C10014 – Trash Liens: Staff presented a certification of 167 trash cases totaling $91,655.57 in unpaid cleanup costs. The board approved authorizing the director to place liens on the listed properties. The public was reminded of the appeal process via an administrative law judge hearing.
- Resolution 2026 C10015 – Case Management System Proof of Concept: Staff recommended executing an agreement with VirtuSoft LLC (reseller of OpenGov) for scoping and developing a proof of concept for a new case management system, at a cost not to exceed $199,998.72. The system could replace the current Acela system. Benefits include improved public experience via a more intuitive interface, ability to search cases without an account, and enhanced interdepartmental coordination with the Department of Metropolitan Development. The board approved the resolution.
- Resolution 2026 C10016 – Emergency On-Call Demolition Services Renewal: Staff requested renewal of two-year agreements (2026–2028) with Dini Excavating Inc. and Renaissance Inc. (WBE certified) for emergency demolition services, with no increase to the $850,000 per contract compensation limit. In 2025, BNS spent ~$375,000 on emergency demolitions; $74,000 has been spent in 2026 to date. Approved.
- Resolution 2026 C10017 – Emergency On-Call Engineering Services Renewal: Staff requested a two-year renewal (2026–2028) of the agreement with Wis Janny Elsner Associates Inc., with no increase to the $40,000 compensation limit. BNS spent $9,200 on these services over the past two years. Approved.
- Resolution 2026 C10018 – High Grass Mowing Abatement Services: Staff recommended a new two-year service agreement with Allied Logistical Services Inc. for mowing, with a $50,000 compensation limit. Fee schedule: $95 per lawn under 1 acre, $170 per lot 1–1.5 acres, $20 for photos of already cut lots. The vendor will serve as overflow coverage. Approved.
- Resolutions C1019–C1025 – Third-Party Plan Review and Inspection Contracts: Alina presented a bundle of resolutions related to rebidding contracts for third-party plan review and inspection services as part of the Streamline Indy initiative. Key details:
- Structural Plan Review: Vendors Prime AE and Safe Built (current vendors) will continue, with new pay rates.
- Infrastructure Plan Review: Vendors DLZ and Aegis (current vendors) will continue, with new pay rates.
- Accelerated Reviews: Shifted to a flat fee structure.
- Inspection and Testing: New rates reflect differing expertise levels (e.g., certified inspector vs. engineer) and include an escalator clause. These are zero-dollar pass-through contracts; permittees pay vendors directly.
- Performance improvements cited: structural permit issuance dropped from 40 working days (2024) to 20 (2025); drainage permits from 123 to 60 working days. Additional outreach (lunch-and-learns, pre-submittal meetings) aims to improve communication. Each resolution (C1019 through C1025) was voted on separately and approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All eight resolutions were approved unanimously via voice votes.
- The board authorized the director to place liens on properties for unpaid trash cleanup (167 cases, $91,655.57).
- Approved exploration of a new case management system via VirtuSoft/OpenGov, with a proof of concept not to exceed $199,998.72.
- Renewed emergency demolition (two vendors, $850,000 each) and engineering services ($40,000) contracts for two years.
- Entered into a new mowing abatement contract with Allied Logistical Services ($50,000 limit).
- Approved multiple vendor contracts for structural and infrastructure plan review, as well as inspection and testing services, with updated rate structures.
- Public comment on gas stations and food desert concerns was acknowledged; director offered to follow up with zoning contacts.
Next Meeting: Scheduled for June 25, 2026, in Room T260.
Meeting Transcript
Afternoon, everyone. My name is Abby Brands. I am the director for the Department of Business Neighborhood Services. I call to order today the Board of Business Neighborhood Services, the June 3rd meeting. If my board members would like to introduce themselves, hi Courtney Yarbrough. Kate Wharpool. Okay. All right. We have some minutes before us from the last meeting, April 23rd. There are any questions or edits or concerns about those meetings. If not, I will entertain a motion to approve the April 23rd and minutes. So moved. Seconded, look at that. Uh, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Minutes are approved. Let's move on to the agenda for today. Miss Carly for trash liens. 2026 C 10014. Hi. Hi. Hi. All right. So for resolution number 2026 C 10014, uh staff recommends this board authorize the director to place liens upon the properties listed in exhibit A for unpaid trash, junk, and debris cleanup and abatement costs incurred by the department. Under Chapter 361 of the revised code, BNS is responsible for the inspection abatement and enforcement of environmental public nuisances. When a property owner does not correct a violation, the city enlists a contractor to evate the nuisance. In the event the city's abatement and cleanup costs are unpaid, the city shall place a lien upon the property. This trash lien certification represents 167 trash cases with a total amount owed of $91,655.57. The cases reflect outstanding fees 30 days past due as of June 3rd, 2026. And are there any questions for Carly regarding these trash lanes? Come on, I will entertain a motion to approve C10014. Carly, can you just remind the public that there is an appeal process to the trash lanes? Yes, there is just in case somebody is watching that is interested in hearing that. Uh so they can contact the news and abatement department and ask for a hearing with the administrative law judge to try to get those reduced or waived. Thank you. Wait, sorry. I make the motion. Look at that. Second. All right. All those in favor signify signify by saying I. Thank you. Can we just say I approve next? Out of practice. I have to say all of the rigmal roles. All right, Eva C 10015. Good afternoon, board members. I'm here to present resolution number 2026 C 10015, which allows the director to execute an agreement with Virtosoft LLC for the scoping requirements gathering and developing a proof of concept for a new case management system and an amount not to exceed 199,000, 998 and uh 72 cents. Over the last couple of years, we've been researching various case management systems and solutions to improve our services that we provide as a department. One of those companies is OpenGov, and they have a promising solution that we'd like to more formally explore and how see how it might work for our department and our constituents.gov is a product available through the reseller agreement.
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