Hammond Capital Improvement Board approves sign replacements, EV chargers and Columbia Avenue resurfacing; budget shows $2.9M balance

The Hammond Capital Improvement Board on March 3 approved three funding allocations for traffic sign replacements, electric-vehicle chargers and a Columbia Avenue resurfacing contract while the board’s controller reported an available balance of about $2,900,000.

The board’s controller, Commissioner Moore, said the board has “a balance of about $2,900,000” after allocating remaining 2024 budgets and the first quarter of 2025; Moore said additional receivables remain outstanding and will be credited when received.

Board members voted unanimously on every motion. The board approved a $45,000 funding allocation for citywide sign replacement design and procurement with First Group Engineering, a $144,465 purchase of electric-vehicle charging hardware from Carbon Day Electric Vehicle Charging, and a $1,494,585 contract award to Milestone Contractors LP for the Community Crossings matching grant project on Columbia Avenue from Summer Street to 160th/167th (transcript language: “A Hundred And 60 Seventh”).

On the sign project (funding allocation 232), Councilman Salinas moved to approve the $45,000 contract with First Group Engineering and Councilman Wuerpel seconded. The board chair explained the project is a like‑for‑like replacement of noncompliant signs to meet the Indiana Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices’ requirements for size, retroreflectivity and mounting height. The chair said the city received a $540,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation for safety projects and described a 90% state funding, 10% local match for this program; the chair added the $45,000 cost carries a $4,500 local net cost under that funding structure. Councilman Wuerpel asked whether flashing/illuminated stop signs would be included; staff and the chair said flashing signs are outside the scope and would require separate local funding. The motion carried 7–0.

On the electric-vehicle chargers (funding allocation 233), the chair said Hammond applied for a federal grant (transcript: “Federal Electric Efficiency Community Block Grant program”) and received approximately $133,000 toward electric-vehicle charging. The board approved $144,465 to purchase four charging units: replacement of an existing Level 2 charger at City Hall and a new high-capacity (rapid) charger at City Hall, plus two rapid chargers for the Hammond Sportsplex. The chair said the award covers hardware only and that installation will likely require site work, new electric services and transformers because the facilities cannot currently support high-voltage equipment. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Prieto and carried 7–0.

On the Community Crossings matching grant project (funding allocation 234), the board awarded Milestone Contractors LP $1,494,585 for Columbia Avenue from Summer Street to the stated “160 Seventh” segment. The chair said the city had applied for two projects under a 50/50 matching grant; when bids were opened Milestone’s price for Columbia Avenue came in much lower than expected, producing about half the anticipated cost for that segment, but the lower price meant there was no time to include the paired 160th Fifth Street project in this award. The chair said the outcome returned roughly $750,000 to the capital improvement board that could not be reallocated to the omitted project under the grant timeline. The motion carried 7–0.

Discussion and next steps

Board members asked procedural and technical questions: Councilman Wuerpel raised the blinking/illuminated sign option; staff clarified that the sign project is replacement to meet the state manual and that requests for flashing signs should be directed to the Board of Works and funded separately. On the Community Crossings project, staff described a longer-term planning and environmental linkage (PEL) process and a utility evaluation intended to guide a larger corridor design work that is in design now and expected to arrive for construction funding in a later cycle (staff referenced a 2027–2028 timeframe for other corridor work).

The board also approved the meeting minutes for the Feb. 3 meeting by unanimous roll call earlier in the docket. The board adjourned and noted the next regular meeting is set for March 17.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Feb. 3 meeting minutes — Moved by Councilman Wuerpel; seconded by Commissioner Burrito (transcript); roll call 7–0, carried. - Funding allocation 232 — Citywide sign installation with First Group Engineering, $45,000 (net city cost $4,500 under stated 90% state / 10% local match); mover: Councilman Salinas; second: Councilman Wuerpel; vote 7–0, carried. - Funding allocation 233 — Purchase EV charging hardware from Carbon Day Electric Vehicle Charging, $144,465 (hardware only; installation to be determined); mover: not specified in transcript; second: Commissioner Prieto; vote 7–0, carried. - Funding allocation 234 — Community Crossings matching grant contract for Columbia Avenue with Milestone Contractors LP, $1,494,585 (50/50 match program; paired project omitted due to bid timing); mover: not specified; second: Councilman Rakos (spoken as Rayko/Reykos in transcript); vote 7–0, carried.

Attendance and next meeting

The chair noted six members were present in chambers and one on Zoom at roll call, and later the record shows seven members voting on the items. The next regular Hammond Capital Improvement Board meeting is scheduled for March 17.