Library board approves landscaping contract extensions and awards HVAC replacement; accepts financial reports

The Indianapolis Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its March meeting to approve two one-year contract extensions for lawn and landscaping services, award a construction contract to replace rooftop HVAC units at the Hawesville branch, and accept the treasurer's report and several sets of minutes.

The board approved Resolution 12-2025, authorizing the second amendment to the lawn and landscaping services contract with Davey Tree Expert Company. Adam Parsons told the board that the original contract was awarded after a 2021 RFP; the library’s standard practice is a three-year contract with up to three one-year extensions. The amendment extends the existing contract through April 3, 2026. The motion received a positive facilities-committee recommendation and passed on a roll call vote with Trustees Doctor Matata, Doctor Palacio, Doctor Riolo and Doctor White recorded as “approved.”

The board approved Resolution 13-2025, which extends the lawn and landscaping services contract with Providence Outdoor Inc. for one year, from 2025 to 2026, with no increase in price. Parsons said Providence was originally awarded work under the same 2021 RFP, the vendor is based in Noblesville, and the extension is already budgeted in Fund 01/2001. The resolution passed on a roll call vote with the same recorded approvals.

Resolution 14-2025 authorized awarding a construction contract for replacement of Rooftop Units (RTU) 2 and 3 at the Hawesville branch. Parsons said the existing units dated to the branch’s original installation in February 2003 and had reached end of life. The library issued an invitation to bid to 11 vendors (four city-certified XBE/XPE firms and others) and received two bids; the lowest responsive and responsible bidder was Ellis Mechanical. The construction cost is $139,900 and will be funded from Bond Fund 485. Parsons said the vendor is based in Indianapolis and is not a city-certified XPE. The board approved the award on a roll call vote.

The board also approved the minutes for the regular meeting held Feb. 24, the special meeting of March 6, 2025, and the executive-session minutes from March 2025; those approvals passed by roll call. Trustees also voted to accept the treasurer’s report for February 2025 and approved a confirmatory financial resolution covering routine travel and personnel matters occurring between board meetings (Resolution 15-2025).

Treasurer’s report highlights presented to the board showed that the library had received about 2% of its annual budget as of February because property-tax revenue typically arrives in April and May. Intergovernmental revenues were reported “right on budget.” Charges for services were near budget, and miscellaneous revenue was above budget largely because of interest income; the presenter said $136,000 of the $145,000 miscellaneous revenue for February was interest. On expenditures, the library had spent about 14% of its budget through February (below the 17% benchmark for that point in the year). Personnel costs were the largest category; presenters said personnel made up 45% of total expenditures and represented about 16% of the budget to date. Board members asked clarifying questions about fines and fees and were told the system no longer collects routine circulation fines, only charges for damaged or lost materials.

All formal motions recorded at the meeting were approved by roll call; recorded trustee votes on the resolution items and the treasurer’s report were “Approved” by Doctor Matata, Doctor Palacio, Doctor Riolo and Doctor White.

The board’s actions will allow landscaping services to continue for another year under existing terms and fund the Hawesville HVAC replacement from the bond fund as planned. The board did not amend budgets at the meeting, and presenters emphasized that the HVAC award was within the branch’s approved project budget.