Kokomo Board of Public Works approves water‑main payments, construction payouts, loans, hires and contracts

Kokomo’s Board of Public Works and Safety voted Feb. 26 to approve multiple construction payments, personnel actions, loan approvals and contracts, including pay estimates of $577,850.16 and $451,960.69 for the Northeast Water Main Extension Phase 2 and a $562,281.15 application payment to contractor Hageman Inc. for work on the hotel/conference center.

The approvals came during a regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall where board members moved through a series of departmental recommendations from police and fire, engineering, development, maintenance and the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).

The board approved two pay estimates for the Northeast Water Main Extension Phase 2 submitted by contractor E.S. Wagon Company and reviewed by consulting engineer Donahue & Associates Inc. Pay estimate No. 2 covered work and stored materials from Dec. 1, 2024, through Jan. 2, 2025, with a gross amount of $608,263.33 and a requested net payment of $577,850.16 after 5% retainage. Pay estimate No. 3 covered work from Jan. 3, 2025, to Feb. 3, 2025, with a gross amount of $475,748.09 and a requested net payment of $451,960.69 after 5% retainage. The original contract amount for the project was presented as $4,210,569; total work to date through pay estimate No. 3 was $1,832,417.78.

The board also approved Hageman Inc.’s application for payment No. 5 in the amount of $562,281.15, and accepted the owner’s representative’s recommendation to place $62,475.68 into a retainage account as required by section 11.10.8 of the construction contract.

In economic development matters, the board approved an amendment to the EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance revolving loan fund (RLF) management plan to increase the program’s maximum loan amount from $150,000 to $200,000. The board recorded that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) had already approved the amendment on Feb. 12 and that the city’s RLF board had approved it on Feb. 20.

Following that amendment, the board approved a $20,000 loan from the USDA Emerging Business revolving loan fund to Little Chicago LLC. The RLF board had recommended a 60‑month term at 4% interest with monthly payments; the board authorized the president to execute loan documents after signature by Alex Burris, the sole member of Little Chicago LLC.

Other board actions included: awarding demolition work for the residential structure at 1116 North Phillips to Alliance Excavating and Demolition Inc. for $13,880; accepting Hearne Construction’s $118,645 bid for the City Hall main entrance remodel (the board was told Hayes Brothers’ lower bid was incomplete); approving the sale of retired and inoperable city vehicles and equipment via GovDeals.com in March 2025; approving a cloud‑based voicemail and phone replacement contract with AT&T with a monthly fee of $2,832 and one‑time equipment and installation costs of $32,266 and $8,500 respectively; and approving eight new hires for the Kokomo Fire Department with an estimated start date of March 31, 2025.

The board also approved a promotion recommended by Chief Edwards for firefighter Kevin Duggins to the position identified in the record as chauffeur, effective March 2025; approved claims totaling $1,674,156.11; and accepted pay estimates numbers 2 and 3 for project CT407‑18 (Northeast Water Main Extension) as presented by the engineering department.

All motions taken on the items recorded in the meeting were approved by voice vote with “Aye” and listed in the minutes as carrying.

Why this matters: The approvals commit and release significant city funds for infrastructure and a major hotel/conference center project, adjust a local revolving loan program’s lending ceiling and authorize a small business loan that together affect Kokomo’s capital program, local business support and staffing for public safety and city operations.

Votes at a glance

- Promotion: Kevin Duggins from firefighter to chauffeur, effective March 2025 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Chief Edwards.) - Fire department hires: Dalton Clark; Madison Dalton; Mason Davis; Brock Hadley; Sheldon Hardy; Nathan Hurd; Emily Knaebel; Derek McKay — start date estimated March 31, 2025 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Chief Edwards.) - Demolition contract, 1116 North Phillips: Award to Alliance Excavating and Demolition Inc., $13,880 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Peter Shaw, CDBG/HUD grant manager.) - City Hall main entrance remodel: Award to Hearne Construction, $118,645 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Craig Bolin, superintendent of maintenance.) - Northeast Water Main Extension Phase 2: Pay estimates No. 2 ($577,850.16) and No. 3 ($451,960.69) to E.S. Wagon Company; original contract $4,210,569; work to date $1,832,417.78 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by John Feichard, director of engineering.) - Sale of retired/inoperable vehicles/equipment: Use GovDeals.com auction in March 2025 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Jameson Pickett, director of central equipment.) - EDA CARES Act RLF amendment: Increase maximum loan from $150,000 to $200,000 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Kalindi Shaw, development specialist.) - Revolving loan to Little Chicago LLC: $20,000, 60 months, 4% interest, monthly payments; president authorized to execute documents after borrower signature — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by Kalindi Shaw.) - IT/cloud voicemail and phone replacement contract: AT&T; monthly $2,832; one‑time equipment $32,266; installation $8,500 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by IT staff.) - Hageman Inc. payment No. 5: $562,281.15 payment; $62,475.68 placed into retainage per contract section 11.10.8 — motion approved by voice vote. (Presented by CVB and owner’s representative.) - Claims: Approval of claims in the amount of $1,674,156.11 — motion approved by voice vote.

Sources and attributions

Most items were introduced by city staff and presented as recommendations; the meeting record shows each item was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote with no roll call recorded. Direct attributions in the minutes identify presenters including Chief Edwards (police and fire matters), Peter Shaw (CDBG/HUD grant manager), Craig Bolin (superintendent of maintenance), John Feichard (director of engineering), Jameson Pickett (director of central equipment), Kalindi Shaw (development specialist) and Alex Burris (Little Chicago LLC, borrower). The owner’s representative for the hotel/conference center payment appears in the record as Vergas Group Inc. (report text later referenced the name Veritas in one line); the contractor for the payment is recorded as Hageman/Hageman Inc. in the meeting materials.

Ending

The board closed routine business after the claims approval and recorded no correspondence or public comment requiring further action at that meeting.