Board approves series of infrastructure contracts, sidewalk and paving awards; adopts utility and subdivision bond actions

The Franklin City Board of Public Works and Safety on April 7 approved a package of contracts, bid awards and bond actions covering traffic-signal design, sidewalk construction, paving, subdivision sureties and lighting for new subdivisions.

Votes at a glance: All actions listed below were moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote unless noted otherwise in the meeting record.

- Bookmobile parking: Approved a request to park the Franklin City bookmobile outside the Arts & Craft (library event) on April 23, and to operate scheduled bookmobile visits on multiple dates in June and July as presented.

- Garment Factory parking request: The applicant withdrew a request to use the public parking lot on East Wayne Street for May 30, 2025, and the board removed the item from the agenda.

- Commerce Drive and Meyer traffic signal: Approved a professional services agreement with Crossroad Engineers PC for design and part-time inspection of a traffic signal at the second entrance west of U.S. 31 (Commerce Drive and Meyer). City staff said construction is planned for spring next year, with design billed now.

- West Side sanitary sewer interceptor, Phase 2: Accepted and executed the listed documents related to phase 2 of the West Side sanitary sewer interceptor project. City Engineer Matt McElroy said these were the final five property agreements needed and that the city settled with all property owners rather than needing condemnation.

- Johnson Avenue sidewalk improvements: Accepted bids and awarded the construction contract to All Star Paving Inc. for $251,997 as the lowest, responsive and responsible bidder after the apparent low bidder (Edward and Jones Concrete) was disqualified for missing documentation. Staff said part of the project funding would come from the RDC and the Board of Works would cover any remaining city share.

- Bluffs at Youngs Creek Sections 1 and 2: Approved release of performance letters of credit and subdivision performance surety agreements for sections 1 and 2 and accepted subdivision maintenance bonds in replacement, with the amounts read into the record by the city engineer.

- 2025 maintenance improvement program (asphalt milling, patching, resurfacing): Accepted bids and awarded the construction contract to Dave O’Meara Contractors Inc. as the lowest responsive bidder. Staff said the project will use a Community Crossings grant with matching city funds; final share and timing to be coordinated with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).

- Outdoor lighting for Bluffs at Youngs Creek Section 5A: Approved an outdoor lighting service agreement for installation of four poles; developer to cover installation cost and the city’s anticipated monthly electric cost was listed at $50.40. The mayor was authorized to sign the agreement.

City Engineer Matt McElroy and Planning Director Joanna Timmel presented the items. McElroy noted the bid-review process and that a bidder can be disqualified if required documents are missing; McElroy and others described the Johnson Avenue award as being within funding expectations after review of multiple bids. “We were able to settle with all of them,” McElroy said in reference to property agreements for the West Side interceptor, noting that condemnation was not necessary.

The meeting also included routine department reports on staffing, flood response planning and wastewater plant permitting; staff reported that a construction permit for wastewater plant upgrades was approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and will allow the city to advertise for construction pending final items from the engineer.

No formal dissenting votes were recorded on the listed agenda items; actions were adopted by voice vote.