Evansville Board of Public Works approves series of contracts, bid actions and housing amendments

The Board of Public Works on Oct. 9, 2025 approved a package of procurement actions, contract amendments and event permits intended to maintain city services and advance housing and connectivity projects.

Mister Lutz, a City of Evansville Computer Services representative, asked the board to approve advertising RFPDash948Dash01Dash25 to replace the city’s multifunction devices. “We’ve got about 50 devices that are at end of life,” he said, adding, “We can’t get parts for them any longer,” and that one device was currently down. Board members voted to advertise the request for proposals to allow vendors to bid for replacement equipment.

Jonathan Sibeking, director of MET, asked the board to approve a letter assigning two of Evansville’s options to purchase Gillig buses under a 2023 contract with Tank (the transit authority of Northern Kentucky) to Owensboro Transit System. Sibeking said Evansville and Owensboro each purchased two vehicles so far and Owensboro requested two additional vehicles; he said assigning Evansville’s options “doesn’t cost us any money.” The board authorized Sibeking to sign the letter.

The board approved a finance amendment to the city’s 2023 agreement with Hope of Evansville after staff said the project scope shifted from purchasing a single senior unit to acquiring 10 or more scattered-site units targeted at households at 65% area median income, to be renovated for residents 55 and older. A Hope of Evansville representative, Josh, told the board the original building purchase fell through and the organization plans the scattered-site approach instead.

City DMD staff presented a second amendment to a contract with Ace Home Improvements Inc. for Affordable Housing Trust Fund repairs at 515301 Chadwick Road. Miss Foster said the first amendment extended the contract to Aug. 31, 2025 and the second amendment extends the completion deadline to Sept. 30, 2025; the contract total was stated in the record as $37,200. The board approved the extension to allow work completion.

Staff also described a proposed agreement with the University of Evansville to provide internet service in the Promised Neighborhood area and to reimburse the city for related expenses under a grant arrangement. The transcript includes entries indicating funding in the record for 04/01/2025 ($110,000) and subsequent years ($22,000 each), though portions of those lines are garbled in the record; the board approved the agreement.

On capital and public-works items, the board approved opening bids for the 2025 Barrett Law Project (project no. 25-007). City staff later reported two bids received (JBI Construction at approximately $137,567.80 and Rivertown Construction, LLC at approximately $124,407.50) and the board took those bids under advisement. The board rejected all bids for the Oak Hill Cemetery project because submitted bids exceeded the budget. The board awarded the Portland loo project (project no. 25-005) to Dye Brothers Lumber and Construction Co. Inc., with a total contract amount stated as $319,006.25.

The board approved Appendix A right-of-way permit recommendations (with standard Indiana MUTCD traffic-control and pavement-repair requirements) and took an exception on application 24-32 because the work is outside the city boundary. It also approved barricade and signage requests for upcoming events, including the University of Evansville homecoming street closures on Nov. 8, 2025, and noted the Thunderbolts Education Day will bring about 7,000 students and nearly 150 school buses to the area.

A motion to approve bills and payrolls was moved and seconded; the board then adjourned at 1:42 p.m.

What’s next: several items require follow-up by staff (bid review for Barrett Law, contract administration for the Portland loo and Ace Home Improvements amendment, and execution of the MET assignment letter).