New Albany Board of Public Works & Safety Regular Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Board of Public Works & Safety of New Albany, Indiana, met on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM in City Hall Room 100. The meeting included a solicitor's permit request for door-to-door sales, infrastructure updates, approval of financial claims and minutes, and a recommendation for trick-or-treat hours.

Consent Calendar

• Claims Approval: Approved claims for the period October 6-19, 2026, totaling $3,890,902.75. (Motion carried unanimously.)
• Transfers Approval: Approved transfers for the same period totaling $1,402,000. (Motion carried unanimously.)
• Meeting Minutes: Approved the regular meeting minutes from October 13, 2026. (Motion carried unanimously.)

Discussion Items

1. Solicitor’s Permit Request – Justin Clowdus, High Impact Solutions (Authorized AT&T Dealer): Mr. Clowdus requested solicitor's permits to conduct door-to-door sales for AT&T in zip code 47150. He stated he is moving his business from Alabama and seeks to obtain permits before operating. Board members expressed strong concerns about door-to-door solicitation, citing impacts on elderly residents and veterans, potential for aggressive sales tactics, and prior incidents of unpermitted canvassing in the city. Mr. Clowdus acknowledged one prior visit to a New Albany neighborhood with an assistant manager but said he had contacted the city. He described his hiring process (interviews, background checks, drug tests) and training (four weeks). The board asked whether individuals encountered in a neighborhood without permits were associated with him; he denied it. A motion was made to take the request under advisement, requiring additional information: criminal background checks for employees and letters of recommendation from at least two to three communities where he has previously operated (e.g., Birmingham, AL). The board clarified this does not grant permission to begin soliciting. (Motion carried unanimously.)

2. City Infrastructure Updates (Presented by Larry Cook):

   • Paving Update: MAC Construction continues concrete work on Edgemont Drive and a sidewalk panel on Chadwood. Striping follows paving. A base failure on Slate Run Road near the Latter-day Saints Church will be patched. Next week, milling and paving will begin in the Green Valley Estates neighborhood, with notices to residents. Water valve inspections on ECAN are also planned.
   • Trail Project: Base preparation for pavers and landscaping between Elm and Oak; finalizing installation of the HAWK signal at Main and Fourth Streets; brick paver installation between Elm and Oak.
   • Oak Street Reconstruction: Contractor is relocating a water main before resuming sanitary and storm sewer work. A delay occurred due to coordination with the water company. Board members noted a rough gravel section at Pearl and Oak requiring attention due to harvest traffic.
   • Charlestown Road and Slate Run Road Signal: Signal heads repositioned after an issue; signal expected operational October 19 but experienced a flash issue. Liquidated damages may be considered for missing the substantial completion deadline, though delay claims are possible. Striping rescheduled for next week.

3. Trick-or-Treat Hours Recommendation: The board considered trick-or-treat hours for Halloween (Saturday, October 31). A motion was made and adopted to recommend 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. (Motion carried unanimously.)

4. Other City Official Communications:

   • Bank reconciliations for July 2026 were presented.
   • An emergency sewer repair began October 20 at 124 Union Street; traffic expected to remain open.
   • Condolences were expressed for the passing of long-time city employees John Rosemarker (48 years of service) and Dennis Smith.

Key Outcomes

• Justin Clowdus's solicitor's permit request was taken under advisement; no permit granted pending submission of background checks and community references.
• Financial claims and transfers totaling $3,890,902.75 and $1,402,000, respectively, were approved.
• Meeting minutes from October 13, 2026, were approved.
• Trick-or-treat hours for Halloween were recommended as 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
• Infrastructure projects are ongoing with noted updates; potential liquidated damages discussed for the signal project delay.