Carmel Board of Public Works and Safety approves bids, contracts and event permits; revokes and re-awards police vehicle bid

The Board of Public Works and Safety on April 2, 2025, approved a series of bid awards, vendor contracts and event permits and voted to revoke one vehicle bid award before awarding that group to E.B. Ford.

The actions included awards for road and path construction, purchases of police equipment and vehicles, contracts for consulting and community events, acceptance of donated EMS equipment, and a temporary tabling of a summer festival permit pending documentation.

The meeting matters affect several city projects funded in part by the 2024 infrastructure and water bonds and included routine approvals of recurring vendor agreements.

The board opened two bid solicitations and later awarded multiple construction and purchase contracts. Brad Pease, Carmel director of engineering, announced the bids for the Clay Center Road path construction and culvert replacement and for the 140 First Street path. "The award will go to Morphey Construction. They were the lowest responsible, responsive bidder. It's $1,875,000," Pease said when presenting the 140 First Street contract award.

John Duffy, director of utilities, presented the 120 First Street water-main extension bid opening. He told the board the top bids submitted ranged from Yarberry Companies Inc. at $182,070 to Lichens Contracting LLC at $224,513.

On vendor contracts and purchases, the board approved an updated food-and-beverage agreement with MTS Collective Inc., doing business as Iron and Ember, for Brookshire Golf Course. Bob Higgins, general manager, said the new contract is "basically the same company that we've had for 5 years now" and that the contract updates simplified payment terms and consolidated previously separate costs such as electricity.

The board approved a HIPAA/GRAMMA agreement with Ascension Saint Vincent Carmel to allow hospital quality-assurance review of the city's EMS patient care records,…