Tipton officials report nearly 20 contractors at public-safety pre-bid; NDOT grant schedule change delays applications

Tipton City officials reported strong contractor interest in the planned public-safety building and warned a state grant schedule change will delay grant applications for local road projects.

The mayor told the council a pre-bid meeting for the public-safety project drew nearly 20 contractors, a sign of regional interest in the work. "We had over nearly 20 contractors who showed up for that pre bid meeting," the mayor said.

In other infrastructure updates, the mayor said West Street’s final top coat of asphalt has been completed and that a water-main consolidation project on E Street — combining two mains into one — is finished. He also reported a DNR walkthrough on the trail project went well.

The mayor said the Indiana Department of Transportation has changed the Community Crossings Matching Grant program from two application periods a year to a single annual application, with the new window in October. Because the city must close out its 2024 project by the end of the month to be eligible, and West Street closeout remains incomplete, the mayor said Tipton will not be able to apply in the coming cycle and will not be able to submit again until October 2026. "We are not gonna be able to apply for CCMG dollars, until October 2026," he said.

Council members discussed alternative maintenance techniques, including increased crack sealing and a liquid road treatment used on North Street and Washington, that the city might emphasize while grant application windows are limited.

Ending: The council received the reports; no formal action was taken at the meeting. City staff said they will continue closeout work on the 2024 project so the city can reapply when the program next permits applications.