Hammond City’s Capital Improvement Board on April 7 approved six funding allocations totaling several hundred thousand dollars and authorized an on-site investigation of a newly discovered sinkhole.

The board unanimously approved a $1,000,000 budget for the 2025 annual resurfacing program, a $16,552.50 supplemental agreement to reprocess video for the PASER evaluation and sign inventory, a $30,600 construction-engineering contract for the 165th and State Line intersection, a $6,100 contract for Kennedy Avenue tree removal in the federal-aid segment, a $5,000.97 change order to close out the Marble Street reconstruction project, and a $6,851.38 contract to investigate a sinkhole at 225 Russell Street. All motions carried on roll call votes recorded as seven in favor and no dissent.

The supplemental agreement with First Group Engineering (funding allocation No. 237) will reprocess video used for the PASER pavement evaluation and for the city’s sign inventory to also identify Hammond City street lights and NIPSCO lights in the public right of way, the board was told. The motion to approve was moved by Councilman Salinas and seconded by Commissioner Muda and passed 7-0.

Commissioner Prieto moved and Councilman Salinas seconded approval of funding allocation No. 238, a $6,100 contract with Howard’s Tree Service for tree removal related to the Kennedy Avenue road diet. Board members noted the removals were originally expected to be done in-house but that the work falls in a federal-aid project segment outside the contract limits, requiring the separate agreement; the motion passed 7-0.

The board approved the $1,000,000 annual resurfacing budget (funding allocation No. 239) on a motion from Commissioner Muda and a second from Commissioner Prieto. The board described the amount as the budget set aside for annual resurfacing; no further project-level details or funding splits were provided during the meeting.

Councilman Wuerpel moved, and Councilman Rakos seconded, funding allocation No. 240, a $30,600 contract with First Group Engineering to provide construction engineering for the 165th and State Line intersection improvements. "We expect to move forward on that project very soon once we get agreements," the Chair said during discussion. The measure passed 7-0.

The board approved change order No. 3 (funding allocation No. 241) for Marble Street Reconstruction in the amount of $5,000.97. Commissioners described the change order as a balancing adjustment to close the project out and to true up final quantities; the motion, moved by Commissioner Muda and seconded by Councilman Salinas, passed unanimously.

Funding allocation No. 243, a $6,851.38 contract with Dyer Construction, was approved to investigate a sinkhole discovered in the parking lot at 225 Russell Street, immediately north of the Lake County Courthouse. The board said it consulted with the sanitary district, which reported no sewer lines in the immediate area; the contract will allow Dyer Construction to explore and determine whether there is an underlying problem. The motion was moved by Councilman Wuerpel and seconded by Commissioner Meuta and passed 7-0.

Board members also noted that funding allocation No. 242 was skipped and that that project is on hold pending review and discussion with Mayor McDermott. No public comments were offered during the meeting’s public-expression period. The board scheduled its next meeting for April 21.

Financial and scheduling details beyond the amounts approved, including specific funding sources or construction schedules, were not specified in the meeting record.