OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Board of Public Works Meeting - August 26, 2026

Other Meetings (A-H) — Wednesday, August 26, 2026
BodyIndianapolis, Indiana
SessionOther Meetings (A-H)
DateWednesday, August 26, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:23:28

Transcript — Verbatim
2:04

Good afternoon.

2:05

I'd like to call to August 26th Board of Public Works meeting to order.

2:08

I'm Todd Wilson, Chair of the Board.

2:10

I'd like our board members to introduce themselves, please.

2:13

Bob Barron.

2:14

Susie Corney.

2:16

Leslie Schulte.

2:18

Thank you all.

2:19

And I'd like to also introduce our board counsel behind me, Benjamin Morkel, and our board coordinator, Jennifer Domingas.

2:26

Our first item on the agenda today is to adopt the August twenty-sixth, twenty twenty-six agenda.

2:31

Do I have a motion to adopt the agenda?

2:34

So moved by Bob Perrin.

2:36

Do I have a second?

2:37

Seconded by Idree Redmond.

2:39

All in favor?

2:40

Signify by saying aye.

2:41

Aye.

2:42

Any opposed?

2:43

Motion carries.

2:44

The next item on the agenda or approval of minutes.

2:46

Do I have a motion to approve the August twelfth meaning minutes?

2:50

So move by Susie Cordy.

2:52

Do I have a second?

2:53

Seconded by Leslie Schulte.

2:55

All in favor signify by saying aye.

2:57

Aye.

2:57

Any opposed?

2:59

CNN, that motion carries.

3:14

Go ahead.

3:17

Thank you.

3:18

Next item on our agenda, we have a public hearing.

3:21

I'll ask our board counsel, Benjamin Moracle to read the rules governing public comments.

3:26

Thank you, Mr.

3:27

Chairman.

3:27

Before we open the floor to public comments, we'd like to remind board members and the public of a few ground rules so that everyone can have a fair chance to speak and be heard.

3:34

It is important that we each observe the following rules.

3:37

First, each speaker will be limited to two minutes.

3:39

Second, public comments must reasonably relate to the agenda item under consideration.

3:43

Third, speakers who stray from the item under consideration or become unduly repetitious may be asked to move on to their next point or conclude their comments.

3:49

And finally, attendees who cause disruptions that prevent the board from proceeding through today's agenda reasonably efficiently will be removed.

4:02

And now, Mr.

4:03

Chairman, if you will entertain a motion to adopt these rules, we can proceed public comment.

4:11

So move by Dan Hank.

4:14

Yeah.

4:15

Do I have a second?

4:19

Second by Bob Perrin.

4:20

All in favor signify by saying aye.

4:22

Aye.

4:22

Any opposed?

4:24

See none that motion carries.

4:25

Uh Joe Glass, please.

4:34

Thank you, uh Chair Wilson and members of the board.

4:36

My name is Joe Glass.

4:37

I'm the executive director and general counsel of the Indianapolis Bond Bank.

4:40

And the hearing is for preliminary determination to issue up to $15 million in a Metropolitan Thoroughfare District debt for the construction of a new operations garage at um the uh current uh site of uh TPW operations.

4:54

Um this was approved by uh the admins eminent finance committee of the council last night uh unanimously and will go before the full council at uh the next meeting.

5:03

Um we have uh included in materials with the board um a 10-year projection of uh the maximum changes to levy and rates.

5:11

Um we'd ask that uh be uh the memo and the attached information be included in in the minutes of the meeting.

5:17

Um and then uh the board will vote on a declaratory resolution uh to um approve uh the issuance of the bonds, and um we'll have one more uh hearing um one more public hearing um at uh at the future uh board of public works meeting.

5:31

So happy to answer any questions at this time.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget████████████████████████████28%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████23%
Stormwater Management███████████████15%
Public Works█████████9%
Transportation█████████9%
Transportation Safety███████7%
Procedural███3%
Equipment Management██2%
Capital Projects██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Board of Public Works Meeting - August 26, 2026

The Board of Public Works met on August 26, 2026, at 1:00 PM in the Public Assembly Room, City-County Building. The meeting covered bid awards, change orders, professional service agreements, a public hearing on a bond resolution, and the 2027 DPW budget presentation. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

  • Adoption of Agenda: Motion by Bob Perrin, second by Idris Redmond.
  • Approval of Minutes: Minutes from August 12, 2026, were approved by motion of Susie Corney, second by Leslie Schulte.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public Hearing – Resolution No. 22, 2026: Joe Glass, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Indianapolis Bond Bank, presented a preliminary determination to issue up to $15 million in Metropolitan Thoroughfare District debt for a new DPW operations garage. He noted the proposal was unanimously approved by the council's administrative finance committee. Sam Barris (DPW CFO) clarified the garage would be built on existing DPW property (likely the West Street campus) and would consolidate other DPW locations. No public comments were received. The board approved the declaratory resolution.

Discussion Items

  • Bid Awards:
    • Eagle Creek Dam Improvements (LD-15-036): Awarded to James Babcock, Inc. for $389,600 (39% higher than the $280,000 engineer's estimate). Two bids received; the low bidder made a good faith effort on XBE goals. Approved.
    • Supply of Traffic Signal Components (RFB-14DPW-1765): Four vendors (Carrier & Gable, Traffic Control Corp, ITS Plus, RTC Manufacturing) awarded a two-year term agreement as lowest bidders on specific line items. Estimated total $800,000. Approved.
  • Change Orders (Final):
    • Lafayette Road over Little Eagle Creek (BR-16-074): Final change order decreased contract by $46,752.50 to a new total of $1,627,008.82; no days added. Approved.
    • Rosedale Hills Drainage Improvements (SD-39-062): Final change order decreased contract by $126,180.37 to $4,391,565.16; no days added. Approved.
    • Video Detection at Crash Sensitive Intersections (TS-25-019): Final change order increased contract by $3,407.32 to $661,907.00, adding 10 days. A board member asked about legality of video cameras; staff clarified these are not for enforcement but traffic flow and data collection. Approved.
  • Professional Services Agreements:
    • On-Call Stormwater Inspection Services (ENG-26-001 and ENG-26-002): Two $500,000 agreements with The Etica Group and First Group Engineering, each expiring December 31, 2028. Both selected through RFQ 2026-2. Approved.
    • Near Eastside Streetscape: 10th and Rural (ED-26-002): $1,679,500 agreement with Lochmueller Group for streetscape, intersection safety, and placemaking along 10th Street and Rural Street. Includes multi-use path, sidewalks, ADA ramps, stormwater, lighting, and intersection realignment. Substantial completion December 31, 2027; final completion February 14, 2028. Approved.
    • SS4A Group 2 Scoping (GT-24-005): $3,923,665 agreement with EMCS, Inc. for design on safe streets projects on Post Road, 30th Street, Lynnhurst Drive, 42nd Street, Franklin Road, and Thompson Road. Includes 11 miles of sidewalk, 538 curb ramps, 71 bus boarding areas, 18 mid-block crossings. Funded by $20 million in federal money. Approved.
  • Professional Services Amendments:
    • Monon Trail over 86th Street (BR-04-002): Amendment No. 1 with CHA Consulting increased contract by $7,199 to $1,111,499 for a new topographic survey and updated subconsultant rates. Design for a structure to carry the Monon Trail over 86th Street. Architect (Rosales) developing three concepts to be presented to DPW in October and public in December. Approved.
  • 2027 Budget Presentation – Department of Public Works: Margaret Wilson (Assistant CFO) and Sam Barris (CFO) presented an abridged version of the 2027 budget. Key highlights:
    • Staffing: 91.1% filled positions (up from 88.6% last year), with all engineering admin positions filled.
    • 2027 introduced budget: $335 million (increase of ~$77 million from 2026).
    • Major revenue sources: MVH LRS, wheel tax ($16.6 million pre-Proposal 192), stormwater user fee, solid waste user fee, special service district tax levy.
    • Capital Improvement Plan: $139 million for stormwater (including $50 million new bond proceeds), $1.22 billion for transportation (including $200 million from state CCMG).
    • Proposed $15 million GO bond for new operations facility (approved earlier).
    • Discussion on budget assumptions: all numbers in 2026 dollars; inflation adjustments for revenue sources; street lighting rates resolved with AES; stormwater capital plan not cut despite $5 million shifted to transportation.
    • Questions from board: Board member asked about budget inflation assumption, revenue certainty, street lighting, vacant positions (positions funded), and stormwater funding adequacy. Staff responded that revenue forecasts are conservative and funds are included for vacancies.
    • Rapid response program (Vision Zero) explained: new program using $1.5 million from council to quickly address safety concerns.
    • Community-Powered Infrastructure program funding increased from $1.2 million (2026) to $4.1 million (2027) due to demand.

Key Outcomes

  • All agenda items (bids, change orders, professional services agreements, amendments, and budget review) were approved unanimously.
  • The declaratory resolution for up to $15 million in bonds for a new operations garage was adopted.
  • The board reviewed the 2027 DPW budget; no vote was taken (presentation for informational purposes).
  • Meeting adjourned without further business.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. I'd like to call to August 26th Board of Public Works meeting to order. I'm Todd Wilson, Chair of the Board. I'd like our board members to introduce themselves, please. Bob Barron. Susie Corney. Leslie Schulte. Thank you all. And I'd like to also introduce our board counsel behind me, Benjamin Morkel, and our board coordinator, Jennifer Domingas. Our first item on the agenda today is to adopt the August twenty-sixth, twenty twenty-six agenda. Do I have a motion to adopt the agenda? So moved by Bob Perrin. Do I have a second? Seconded by Idree Redmond. All in favor? Signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. The next item on the agenda or approval of minutes. Do I have a motion to approve the August twelfth meaning minutes? So move by Susie Cordy. Do I have a second? Seconded by Leslie Schulte. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? CNN, that motion carries. Go ahead. Thank you. Next item on our agenda, we have a public hearing. I'll ask our board counsel, Benjamin Moracle to read the rules governing public comments. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before we open the floor to public comments, we'd like to remind board members and the public of a few ground rules so that everyone can have a fair chance to speak and be heard. It is important that we each observe the following rules. First, each speaker will be limited to two minutes. Second, public comments must reasonably relate to the agenda item under consideration. Third, speakers who stray from the item under consideration or become unduly repetitious may be asked to move on to their next point or conclude their comments. And finally, attendees who cause disruptions that prevent the board from proceeding through today's agenda reasonably efficiently will be removed. And now, Mr. Chairman, if you will entertain a motion to adopt these rules, we can proceed public comment. So move by Dan Hank. Yeah. Do I have a second? Second by Bob Perrin. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? See none that motion carries.

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