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Vanderburgh commissioners approve time extensions, two health-program funds and a series of contracts
Summary
At their Oct. 7 meeting the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners approved multiple time extensions for a road reconstruction project, accepted a lower-cost imagery contract amendment, established two nonreverting health program funds, approved a small special purchase to repair the old courthouse bell, and authorized a settlement agreement.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. — The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners voted Oct. 7 to grant construction time extensions for a county road project, approve a reduced-cost amendment to an aerial-imagery contract and adopt two ordinances creating nonreverting funds for health programs.
The board approved two time-extension requests tied to the Booneville and Harmony (O'Hammie) Road reconstruction project after staff said utility relocations and weather delays accumulated and will move parts of the official completion timeline into January 2026. The board recorded unanimous votes to accept each extension.
The board also approved an order form amending the county's master services agreement with Pictometry International Corp., doing business as EagleView, to remove the "change finder" service from the second and third imagery flights. The removal reduces cost by $13,885.37 for years three through six, according to the documentation presented to commissioners.
Health department items cleared the board on first and final reading after the board voted to waive a second reading. The commissioners adopted: - Ordinance CODot-10-25-019 to establish a nonreverting communicable disease program fund for reimbursements the health department receives under interlocal agreements for STI testing, treatment, referral and education; and - Ordinance CODot-10-25-020 to establish a nonreverting lead risk assessment program fund to retain reimbursements for residential lead risk assessment and clearance testing the department provides to other counties.
The board also approved a special-purchase contract with the University of Southern Indiana to design and fabricate a new base and install a replacement drop hammer/striker for the old courthouse bell at a cost of $1,500. Staff told commissioners the bell's drop hammer had snapped after about 7,000,000 strikes and that McShane Bell (the original bell maker) had supplied a new drop hammer; USI will fabricate a new base to re-position the hammer so it strikes the bell where it formerly did.
A release and settlement agreement in Cause No. 82D06-2307-CT-003626 was approved by the commissioners; staff said the county had been sued and had entered a settlement agreement.
The board approved consent items and closed with routine department reports and notices.
Votes at a glance (recorded on the meeting record): - Time extension request No. 2, Booneville and O'Hammie Road reconstruction — approved (Commissioner Gable: Yes; Commissioner Canterbury: Yes; President Elpers: Yes). - Notice of delay/time extension request No. 3, Boone and Harmony Road reconstruction (substantial completion moved to Dec. 20; final completion to 01/17/2026) — approved (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Order form and amendment with Pictometry/EagleView (removal of change finder, cost reduction $13,885.37 years 3–6) — approved (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Ordinance CODot-10-25-019 (communicable disease program fund) — waiver of second reading approved; ordinance approved on first and final reading (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Ordinance CODot-10-25-020 (lead risk assessment program fund) — waiver of second reading approved; ordinance approved on first and final reading (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Special purchase and contract with University of Southern Indiana for courthouse bell striker installation ($1,500) — approved (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Release and settlement agreement, Cause No. 82D06-2307-CT-003626 — approved (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes). - Motion to approve consent items — approved (Gable: Yes; Canterbury: Yes; Elpers: Yes).
Why it matters: The ordinances create designated, nonreverting funds so reimbursements the health department receives from other counties will be retained and budgeted within those specific programs rather than placed into general county balances. The time extensions shift official completion dates on a multi-phase road reconstruction project and the county accepted a modest-cost repair to restore the historic courthouse bell.
The board did not take final funding action on a regional transit feasibility study; that topic was presented later in the meeting by the Evansville MPO and is covered separately.
The meeting record shows unanimous votes on the listed motions; no roll-call dissent or abstentions were recorded in the meeting transcript.
