Indigo Board of Directors Meeting Summary - June 18, 2025
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Indigo Board of Directors Meeting Summary - June 18, 2025
The Indigo Board of Directors met on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 9:15 AM (ET) to discuss and act on a range of items including a proposed fare policy update, a property acquisition ordinance, and multiple service contracts. The meeting featured extensive public testimony on the fare proposal, with many riders expressing concerns about the impact on low-income and disabled individuals. The board approved several contracts and the property acquisition ordinance, but took no final vote on the fare policy, which will be decided at the August 21, 2025 board meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Fare Policy Proposal (A2): The public hearing included 13 in-person speakers and several virtual speakers. Key themes included opposition to the 57% increase for paratransit riders and requests for incremental increases or fare capping for paratransit.
- Chris Hollingsworth (MAC Chair, Indianapolis, 46229): Proposed a gradual increase of $0.25 per year over four years for both fixed-route and paratransit, and that paratransit users be subject to fare capping. Stated a 57% increase is too much.
- Corey Wills (Indianapolis, 46268): Stated that people on SSI/SSDI cannot afford the proposed increase and suggested a lower percentage.
- Greg Meyer (Indianapolis, 46229): Asked the board to consider the impact of a 57% increase on the most vulnerable, including paratransit riders who may have to choose which trips to take.
- Marissa Byers (Indianapolis, 46202): Daily bus commuter who asked for a smaller or incremental fare increase along with system improvements such as a rider rewards program and a higher age cap for free child fare. Noted that the proposed fare would be $0.50 higher than Chicago's bus fare.
- Tracy Jones (Indianapolis, 46239): Stated that her sister, a handicapped worker, would lose about 50% of her income due to the increase and requested a smaller increase for paratransit.
- Kira Schmid (Indianapolis, 46204): Unemployed and on assistance, said a fare increase would force difficult choices between doctor visits and groceries, and suggested means testing or a donation jar.
- Susan Jones (Indianapolis, 46221): Paratransit rider who acknowledged the increase is justified to maintain service but asked for an adjustment for disabled riders.
- Christopher Meyer (Indianapolis, 46202): Blind person on fixed income, requested spreading the increase more evenly across riders rather than burdening paratransit users.
- Rolanda Broom (Indianapolis): Concerned about elimination of passes (e.g., $60 monthly unlimited pass) and uneven distribution of cost increases between paratransit and non-paratransit.
- Jordan Farmer and Ryan Malone were unable to speak due to technical issues.
- Indigo staff noted that 60 written comments had been received, plus verbal comments via customer service line. A letter from City-County Council Minority Leader Michael Paul Hart expressed concerns about paratransit fare increases.
- Property Acquisition Ordinance (A3): No public comments were offered.
Discussion Items
- Fare Policy Proposal (A2): President & CEO Jennifer Pierce presented the proposal, which would raise the base fixed-route fare from $1.75 to $2.75 (a 57% increase) effective January 1, 2026. Half fare would rise from $0.85 to $1.35. Day and weekly fare caps would increase to $6 and $24.75 respectively. Paratransit fares would increase accordingly to $5.50 (ADA area) and $11/$15 (premium area). Several passes would be phased out by 2027. Pierce highlighted fare capping and free/half-fare programs for veterans, seniors, and Medicaid cardholders as relief options. The board will vote on August 21, 2025.
- Property Acquisition Ordinance (A3): Chief Legal Officer Bob Fry explained the ordinance authorizes Indigo to acquire real property interests for ADA-compliant bus stops. Six bus stop packages are in various stages; 13 properties remain unsecured. If voluntary agreements fail, eminent domain may be used. The ordinance was approved unanimously via roll call vote.
- Contracts and Service Agreements (A4-A12): Detailed discussions on each contract as summarized below in Key Outcomes.
Key Outcomes
- Action Item A1 (Approval of May 15, 2025 Minutes): Approved by voice vote.
- Action Item A2 (Fare Policy Proposal): Public hearing held; no vote taken. Board will vote on August 21, 2025.
- Action Item A3 (Ordinance 2025-01 - Property Acquisition): Approved by roll call vote (5-0). Directors present voted Aye.
- Action Item A4 (Fare Policy Adoption/Implementation Support): Approved to amend contract with City Strategies LLC for up to $124,950 (new total $219,900), extended to December 31, 2026. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A5 (Program Management Support Services): Approved to amend contract with HTB Corporation for up to $2,265,000 (new total $9,673,000), extended to June 30, 2029. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A6 (Shelter Cleaning & Maintenance): Approved three-year contract with SHUC Corporation for up to $4,243,076. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A7 (Janitorial Services): Approved five-year contracts (with options) for four locations: R Plus Solutions ($142,267), Pristine Image ($1,153,152 and $72,540), Well Done Services ($31,843). Total not to exceed $1,399,802 if options exercised. Voice vote passed. Note: XBE participation information not yet available.
- Action Item A8 (Waste Removal & Recycling): Approved three-year contract with GHW Waste Services for $48,000 per year ($144,000 total), with option for two one-year extensions (total not to exceed $241,200). Special procurement due to no bids received. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A9 (Parts Washers & Paint Supplies): Approved amendment to contract with Safety Clean Systems Inc. for additional $145,000 (new total $232,600). Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A10 (Government Consulting Services): Approved extension with Cardinal Infrastructure LLC for $96,000 (new total $204,000), eight months. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A11 (Electronic Fare Collection System Upgrade): Approved three-year contract with Masabi LLC for up to $2,165,000. Funding from capital budget. Annual operating costs estimated separately. Voice vote passed.
- Action Item A12 (Insurance Renewal): Approved purchase of insurance for fiscal year 2025-2026 for up to $1,458,499 (reduced from original $1,473,874). Voice vote passed.
- Information Item I1 (May 2025 Financial Report): Received and accepted. Total revenue over budget by $727,375 year-to-date; total expenditures under budget by $15,672,129 year-to-date. Note: One-time refunds from Liberty Insurance and AES were mentioned.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. The Indigo Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, June 18th, 2025 is called to order. Bob, would you please call roll? Good afternoon, Directors. Will you please indicate your attendance when I call your name? Director Slash. Present. Director Gardner. Present. Director Wilson. We have a quorum, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Bob. Uh, given tonight's busy agenda, we've decided to postpone this month's awards and accommodations until the July board meeting. Next is item number three, the regular agenda. We will begin with action item A1, consideration and approval of the May 15th, 2025 board meeting minutes. Are there any questions or comments? Hearing drop in minutes, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. The motion is adopted. Thank you. Uh next is action item A2, which is the public hearing on the fair proposal policy update. Before we take public comment, please note all speakers must be registered in advance. If you are in the boardroom to wish to speak and have not registered, have not signed up, you can still do so over the next few minutes. There are two public hearings tonight and two separate sign-up sheets. Please be sure you sign up to speak on the correct item. We will hold the public hearing for ordinance 2025-01 local bus stops, local bus stops property acquisition after this hearing on the fair proposal with a brief recess in between. Again, if you wish to speak on either hearing and have not signed up yet, please step out into the lobby just outside the boardroom where you'll see a sign-up table, sign in table. Uh the team members will be happy to assist you. Uh sign up will close as soon as each of these hearings begin. We are also allowing virtual speakers for the fair proposal hearing. Those watching on YouTube live stream who wish to speak virtually can register online by going to our website at indigo.net. Once you get to the site, you will be able to pop up. You will be able to get to a pop-up that will take you directly to our value of transit fair policy proposal page. You'll scroll down to the box referencing the public hearing. Click there and follow the instructions for registering to speak virtually. Registration in person and online will remain open for about five more minutes. In the meantime, I'd like to turn it over to Indigo President and Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Pierce, who will share a brief presentation on the fair policy proposal. Thank you very much. You guys able to pull up that pull that up. Good afternoon. I'm Jennifer Pierce, president and CEO here at Indigo. I want to provide a little bit of background before we jump into the hearing. As you know, leadership brought forth a recommendation to the board of directors during our May board meeting to adopt a fair a new fair policy. If approved, this would go into effect January 1st, 2026. This is a result of a year-long process where we reviewed and analyzed our current fair policy, which was put into place in 2019.
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