Evansville Board of Public Works rejects over-budget fire department bid, approves leases, contracts and an $89,000 road-project amendment

The Evansville Board of Public Works on Nov. 14 rejected bids for a fire department procurement that exceeded the department’s budget and authorized staff to advertise a scaled-down rebid, while approving a string of routine contracts, permits and a project amendment.

Deputy Chief Jared Brown of the Evansville Fire Department told the board that all bids submitted for IFB 011-01-2024 "exceeded our budgetary limits for the project," and requested permission to reject the submissions and advertise a reduced-scope bid package. The board approved the motion to reject the bids and a second motion authorizing the rebid to be advertised immediately.

The board approved two 48-month printer leases from Mid America Environmental LLC (doing business as Alpha Laser) for city departments: one at $95.17 per month (totaling $4,568.16) for a departmental replacement and a second at $83.84 per month (totaling $4,024.32) for a new street maintenance office at 3200 Harlan Avenue. Vernon Lutz, chief information officer, said the existing equipment was out of contract and the vendor is the city’s contracted printer service provider.

In other contracts, the board approved a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) contract of $75,000 with the Evansville Association for the Blind to operate a disabled workers program. Christine Prior of the Department of Metropolitan Development said the association "particularly focuses their employment efforts toward people who are low vision" and that this is a routine annual allocation.

DMD also presented an agreement designating Old National Bank as a compliance partner for the city’s Revolving Loan Fund tied to an Economic Development Administration grant. Christine Prior said the bank’s compliance review services do not cost the city; applicants seeking RLF funding must pay a $100 fee for the required review.

City engineers brought several items for approval. The board approved a date-revision amendment to an agreement with the University of Evansville for crosswalk and signage work at Weinbach and Lincoln avenues. The board also approved Amendment No. 5 to the Wallen Street project contract with Lochmueller Group Inc., adding $89,000 for additional right-of-way work and a redesign after utility conflicts were discovered in the field; the new total contract amount was listed as $2,434,539.

Right-of-way permit applications 2004–2006 were approved with no exceptions; permit applications 2003, 2007 and 2008 were denied after board discussion. City engineers said they will request quotes (rather than formal bids) for project 24-021, a pipe-joint repair at Mount Vernon Road and Riggs Avenue, with quotes due Nov. 27 at 3 p.m.

The board approved requested road closures and related permits from CRG Residential for work called the Vault at Fifth and Main, including post-tension slab construction and sanitary tie-ins. Staff clarified that parts of the temporary closure would be limited to daytime hours for deliveries while another closure would remain closed for heavier construction.

On an Affordable Housing Trust Fund home repair packet, the board opened one received bid from Ace Construction (doing business as Ace Home Improvements) totaling $141,945 and voted to take that bid under advisement for further consideration.

A motion to approve bills and payroll passed by voice vote, and the meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.

The board handled the items by voice vote; motions, seconds and approvals were recorded but roll-call tallies with member names were not provided in the transcript. The next procedural steps cited were advertising the rebid for the fire department IFB and evaluating the single affordable-housing repair bid taken under advisement.