Board of Public Safety approves donations, contracts and permits; demolition bids taken under advisement

The City of Evansville Board of Public Safety approved a series of motions during its meeting, including acceptance of equipment donations, a major fire apparatus contract and multiple special-event permits.

Police department donations accepted from the Evansville Police Foundation included an e-bike rack with ramp, a boot-polishing machine and a DJI Avata 2 drone and accessories. The board also approved acceptance of a donation of 70 Harris P7200 portable radios from the Lexington, Kentucky, fire department; the radios were described as critical stopgap equipment while the city replaces aging Motorola radios that cost about $5,000 each.

The board approved a contract with Fire Service, Inc., for the purchase of a fire apparatus at $1,999,000. Deputy Chief Kim Garrett presented the request; the motion to approve carried after a second. The board also approved surplusing of broken or unneeded fire equipment (hose dryers at Station 3, dive communication rope, and two dive gauges).

Purchasing and contracts: the board approved a two-year agreement with Wolf's Auto Auction to handle abandoned-vehicle work (the new period runs from April 14 through April 13, 2027). The building commission opened demolition bids for six properties and then took the low bids under advisement for final review at the next meeting; the board also approved two emergency-demolition contracts already in progress (200 East Olmstead Avenue and 14 East Franklin Street).

Special-event permits: the board approved the Hadi Shrine/Street Rods car show (Riverside Drive closure), accepted a date correction for the Splash of Color 5K (moved to Saturday the 14th), approved Dirty Dogs Productions' Adams Street arts/music event, and approved Haney's Corner First Fridays (monthly closures for May—October). Several road-closure and parking requests were approved, including reserved spaces at Old National Events Plaza for the Rotary Club, a traffic buffer around Garvin Park for a police safety event, and a traffic buffer for the Dust Bowl basketball tournament in Bellemeade Park.

Other routine actions approved included extensions for dumpsters at multiple renovation sites, parking permits, two handicap parking locations after inspection, approval of claims and approval of minutes from April 9. The board adjourned following unanimous approval of the final motions.

Votes at a glance (motions approved): - Accept donations: e-bike rack & ramp, boot-polishing machine, DJI Avata 2 drone and accessories (Evansville Police Foundation). - Accept donation: 70 Harris P7200 portable radios (Lexington, KY fire department). - Approve Fire Service, Inc. contract for fire apparatus: $1,999,000. - Approve surplus of specified fire equipment (hose dryers, dive rope, two dive gauges). - Approve two-year agreement with Wolf's Auto Auction for abandoned-vehicle services (new term through April 13, 2027). - Open demolition bids for six properties; low bids taken under advisement. - Approve emergency demolition contracts: 200 E. Olmstead Ave. (Powers Welding, $5,200) and 14 E. Franklin St. (similarly excavating, $6,997). - Approve special-event permits: Hadi Shrine/Street Rods car show; Splash of Color 5K date correction; Dirty Dogs Productions event; Haney's Corner First Fridays. - Approve road/parking items: Old National Events Plaza reserved spaces, Garvin Park traffic buffer (Cops and Bobbers), Dust Bowl traffic buffer, dumpster extensions, parking permits, two handicap parking spaces. - Approve claims and minutes (April 9) and adjourn meeting.

All motions reported in the meeting were moved and seconded; in the recorded roll-call style exchanges each motion was carried by unanimous voice vote of the board members present, and no recorded nay or abstention was indicated in the transcript for these items.