OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Washington, Indiana/City Council and Boards
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Washington Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2026

City Council and Boards — Monday, November 9, 2026
BodyWashington, Indiana
SessionCity Council and Boards
DateMonday, November 9, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Original source
Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:05

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes.

0:06

Councilwoman Ash makes a motion to approve the minutes.

0:09

Okay.

0:09

Councilman Dahl seconds.

0:10

All in favor.

0:11

Aye.

0:12

Opposed.

0:13

Discussion approval of claims submitted tonight.

0:15

I move with pay the claims.

0:16

Okay.

0:16

Councilman Dahl makes a motion to approve the claims.

0:19

I'll second that.

Unassigned speaker

0:20

And

Speaker 1

0:20

Councilman Ash seconds.

0:21

All in favor.

0:22

Aye.

0:22

Okay.

0:23

Opposed.

0:24

All right.

0:26

Then we have reading the Board of Public Works and Safety Resolution 1-2026 entitled a resolution adopted a written purchasing policy concerning the use of electric electronic means in inviting and or receiving offers.

0:46

So we read that resolution.

0:48

Councilman Don makes a motion to read this resolution.

0:51

I'll second that.

0:51

Councilman Woman Ash seconds.

0:54

All in favor?

0:55

Aye.

0:56

Opposed.

0:57

Okay, Board of Public Works and Safety resolution number one-2026, a resolution adopting a written purchasing policy concerning the use of electronic means of inviting and or receiving offers.

1:12

Whereas the common council of the city of Washington, Indiana, designated the Board of Public Works and Safety as the purchasing agency for the city in ordinance number 20-98, which was passed on October 12, 1998.

1:28

Whereas the City of Washington, Indiana currently maintains a purchasing policy as previously adopted under the ordinance number 21-98, passed October 12, 1998, and amended by ordinance number 8-2008 passed May 12, 2008.

1:47

And whereas the Board of Public Works and Safety and under IC Code 5-22-3-4 may adopt written policies concerning the use of electronic means to invite quotes under the public purchasing law.

2:01

Now therefore, be it resolved the Board of Public Works and Safety now adopts the following written policy.

2:07

Section 1.

2:08

The City of Washington may use electronic means in lieu of mail as long as the electronic means is at least as effective and secure as mail, and is otherwise consistent with the IC code 5-22-3.

2:24

Electronic means include, but it's not limited to emails.

2:42

So signed this adopted adopted this day.

2:49

So I think this covers what the council has been wanting and what we're able to do in the future on the bids.

Unassigned speaker

3:08

I

Speaker 1

3:08

move we approve that motion.

3:09

I'll second that.

3:10

Okay.

3:10

Councilman Donald makes a motion to approve this resolution.

3:13

Councilwoman Ash seconds.

3:14

All in favor?

3:15

Aye.

3:16

Opposed.

3:17

Okay, this uh resolution is adopted.

3:22

And um next we um I want to notice of award to Don Gress Construction and notice to proceed on the Morningside Drive Stormwater Sewer Project.

3:31

And I wanted to tell the board

Unassigned speaker

3:33

that

Speaker 1

3:34

normally this project is kind of my fault.

3:38

It started so fast and Ed got the paperwork, and I have documentation where I signed it before he started, but we did.

3:45

Then I thought, well, we need to get to the board of works, and that's my fault that it should have came to the board of works prior to this meeting.

3:52

Um he did start it um just last week, and we did um we accepted the bids back in February, and we put it on hold.

4:07

I was actually thinking about putting it on the hold till the spring, but then uh grass construction had the lowest bid.

4:15

We accepted the bid back in February, but then all of a sudden he thought you know he had time to get to it, and he talked to Ed and Ed brought papers to me, and he said, Well, we need to do a notice of award, which we did that on the um the end of October, right there at the end of October, and then notice to proceed.

4:33

So, the date completion of all work, therefore, they put on May 10, 2027, which is quite a ways out.

4:42

It'll be done way before then, most likely.

4:44

But um that project, I want to apologize.

4:48

That project usually will come to the Board of Works before it starts, and it happened so fast that and then I thought.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████67%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████33%
Summary of Proceedings

Washington Board of Public Works and Safety Meeting Minutes

Meeting held on November 9, 2026 at 11:45 AM. The Board approved minutes, claims, a resolution on electronic purchasing, and a notice of award for a stormwater sewer project. Members present: Councilwoman Ash, Councilman Dahl, Councilman Don (or Donald).

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: Motion by Councilwoman Ash, second by Councilman Dahl. Approved unanimously by voice vote (Ayes, none opposed).
  • Claims Payment: Motion by Councilman Dahl, second by Councilwoman Ash. Approved unanimously.

Board of Public Works and Safety Resolution 1-2026

  • Resolution Title: A resolution adopting a written purchasing policy concerning the use of electronic means (email, etc.) for inviting and receiving offers.
  • Discussion: The City of Washington designated the Board of Public Works and Safety as its purchasing agency via Ordinance 20-98 (October 12, 1998). Existing purchasing policy was established under Ordinance 21-98 and amended by Ordinance 8-2008. IC Code 5-22-3-4 permits the Board to adopt written policies for electronic inviting of quotes. The resolution allows electronic means (including email) as long as they are at least as effective and secure as mail and consistent with IC 5-22-3.
  • Motion: Councilman Don made a motion to read the resolution; second by Councilwoman Ash. Approved by voice vote (Ayes).
  • Approval: Councilman Donald made a motion to adopt the resolution; second by Councilwoman Ash. Approved unanimously.

Notice of Award: Morningside Drive Stormwater Sewer Project

  • Background: Bids were accepted in February 2026. Don Gress Construction had the lowest bid. The project was initially placed on hold until spring, but due to good weather and contractor availability, work began abruptly in late October/early November. The Board member (identified as "I") acknowledged the error of not bringing the award and notice to proceed to the Board before work started, apologizing for the oversight. He stated he had documentation that he signed before the contractor started, but admitted the matter should have come to the Board of Works prior to this meeting.
  • Bid Details:
    • Original approved bid amount (February 2026): $141,981.
    • Change order added, final amount: $156,763.
    • Don Gress Construction was the lowest of eight bids.
  • Timeline: Notice of award was signed at the end of October 2026. Notice to proceed was also issued. The completion date set on the notice is May 10, 2027, but the Board member estimated actual completion in about 30 days (weather permitting). The contractor is currently on site.
  • Board Action: Councilman Dahl moved to accept the notice to proceed and notice of award, second by Councilwoman Ash. Approved unanimously by voice vote (Ayes).
  • Status: Work is actively underway.

Public Comments

  • No members of the public addressed the Board.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned after no further business or public comments.

Meeting Transcript

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. Councilwoman Ash makes a motion to approve the minutes. Okay. Councilman Dahl seconds. All in favor. Aye. Opposed. Discussion approval of claims submitted tonight. I move with pay the claims. Okay. Councilman Dahl makes a motion to approve the claims. I'll second that. And Councilman Ash seconds. All in favor. Aye. Okay. Opposed. All right. Then we have reading the Board of Public Works and Safety Resolution 1-2026 entitled a resolution adopted a written purchasing policy concerning the use of electric electronic means in inviting and or receiving offers. So we read that resolution. Councilman Don makes a motion to read this resolution. I'll second that. Councilman Woman Ash seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed. Okay, Board of Public Works and Safety resolution number one-2026, a resolution adopting a written purchasing policy concerning the use of electronic means of inviting and or receiving offers. Whereas the common council of the city of Washington, Indiana, designated the Board of Public Works and Safety as the purchasing agency for the city in ordinance number 20-98, which was passed on October 12, 1998. Whereas the City of Washington, Indiana currently maintains a purchasing policy as previously adopted under the ordinance number 21-98, passed October 12, 1998, and amended by ordinance number 8-2008 passed May 12, 2008. And whereas the Board of Public Works and Safety and under IC Code 5-22-3-4 may adopt written policies concerning the use of electronic means to invite quotes under the public purchasing law. Now therefore, be it resolved the Board of Public Works and Safety now adopts the following written policy. Section 1. The City of Washington may use electronic means in lieu of mail as long as the electronic means is at least as effective and secure as mail, and is otherwise consistent with the IC code 5-22-3. Electronic means include, but it's not limited to emails. So signed this adopted adopted this day. So I think this covers what the council has been wanting and what we're able to do in the future on the bids. I move we approve that motion. I'll second that. Okay. Councilman Donald makes a motion to approve this resolution. Councilwoman Ash seconds. All in favor? Aye. Opposed. Okay, this uh resolution is adopted. And um next we um I want to notice of award to Don Gress Construction and notice to proceed on the Morningside Drive Stormwater Sewer Project. And I wanted to tell the board that

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com