Muncie Sanitary District awards levee mowing contract, moves to buy 15-acre compost site

The Muncie Sanitary District board on Feb. 4 unanimously approved two operational moves intended to reduce long-term disposal costs and protect levee slopes. The board awarded the Lehi levee mowing contract to Smith Family Services after staff and legal counsel found the apparent low bidder did not meet required equipment specifications, and authorized a contingent purchase of roughly 15 acres on East Wilson Road to develop a municipal leaf and wood composting site.

The presiding officer, speaking in an interim administrator capacity, told the board two bids were opened publicly for the levee mowing work: Smith Family Services and Buffins Landscaping and Snow Removal. "Buffins, who was the lowest bidder, did not have the equipment that was specified within basically the bidding request to meet all the requirements for mowing the levee," the presiding officer said, citing staff review and legal counsel. Based on those findings, the board authorized staff to proceed with contracting Smith Family Services.

Commissioner comments emphasized equipment suitability and erosion risk. One commissioner said, "Problem if you do mow with the wrong equipment... getting the contractor right who can do the job and not have erosion problems that cost us millions of dollars later is a very smart thing to do." The board approved the authorization by voice vote.

On the property purchase, the presiding officer described the proposed acquisition at the 3800 block of East Wilson Road, south of Centennial. He said the site is "approximately 15 acres" and the agreed purchase price is $182,950. The stated purpose is to create a leaf and wood composting operation that would, over time, reduce the district's costs for sending leaves and tree material to commercial processors (the presiding officer cited a current cost of about $58 per ton to East Central Recycling) and produce mulch/compost for municipal use. "By developing our own composting operation, we are hoping to... eliminate some expenses and also provide a long term good," the presiding officer said.

Board members pressed for transparency on pricing and process. The presiding officer said the district follows Indiana State Code for property purchases, obtains two certified appraisals by registered professional appraisers, and offers the average of the two appraisals (the appraisals differed by about $3,000 in this case). He said the purchase is voluntary, not a condemnation, and closing is contingent on due diligence, including zoning or special-use review. A commissioner noted the district modeled the program on a similar composting effort in Columbus, Indiana.

A motion to proceed with the purchase under the contingencies in the purchase agreement was made and seconded; the board authorized signing the agreement and moving forward pending the due-diligence steps. In addition to these items the board approved the Jan. 21 minutes and a register of claims totaling $653,583.18, heard an interim administrator update on the extended administrator search and winter conditions, and adjourned.

The board did not record roll-call vote tallies in the minutes beyond voice approval; no recorded dissents were noted during the meeting.