Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Contracts And Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Gary Board of Public Works and Safety approves contracts, purchases and payroll ratifications
Summary
At its May 7 meeting the Board approved multiple contracts and procurements — including a traffic-signal contract, vehicle purchases and several professional-service agreements — and ratified payroll and claims. Several approvals included follow-up items for staff to reconcile contract details.
The City of Gary Board of Public Works and Safety on May 7 approved a series of contracts, equipment purchases and financial ratifications, actions board members said will support infrastructure work, public-safety operations and event management.
The board voted to award the 2026 traffic-signal contract to Midwestern Electric after the engineering representative said, "Midwestern Electric was found to be the lowest and most responsive bidder, at a not-to-exceed amount of $1,243,700," and moved to accept the award and issue a notice to proceed. The engineering official said the project covers just over 60 intersections. The motion passed on a roll-call vote.
The board also approved multiple law-department contracts: a Trusted Journey agreement for animal cremation services through Feb. 2, 2028 with a packet figure described as not to exceed $12,000; a uniform-and-shop-towel memorandum with Centas where the packet included detailed weekly costs and a 'not-to-exceed' figure that was discussed inconsistently in the meeting transcript (the packet language cited $65,000 for the term while board discussion referenced $15,000 over three years); and a Milestone Contractors contract to install a concrete pad for a driving-range at Gleeson Park with a stated not-to-exceed amount of $27,550, contingent on receipt of a completed QC-40 form from the controller.
A ratification of an IT-services agreement between the city's IT department and the Gary Chicago International Airport was approved; the packet listed $111,283.20 with monthly installments of $9,273.60 and staff said they would reconcile the exact total and scope. The board approved an amendment extending SF Industries' power-washing contract through June 11, 2026, and approved a DataMade contract amendment correcting the listed amount to $37,280.
On fleet and equipment, the board passed a resolution to buy two used trucks from Ford's Truck Centers (the packet lists one truck at $99,404.63 and another at $146,404.63) to increase in-house capacity for demolition debris removal.
Financial items included approval of claims payable for May 8 totaling $339,703.72 and ratification of earlier claims of $108,055.70. The board also ratified payroll entries totaling $8,487,458.97 and pension claims of $691,394.53. A legal settlement in Roosevelt and Don Evans v. City of Gary was approved in a roll call that recorded one abstention; the meeting transcript read amounts of $27,000 to Roosevelt Evans and $500 to Dawn Evans.
Board members flagged a handful of follow-up tasks: staff were asked to confirm and reconcile inconsistent dollar figures in contract documents (for example, the Centas and IT entries), to provide QC-40 documentation where required, and to produce detailed disposal-accounting for truck-hauling operations. The meeting closed with the Board approving the minutes and adjourning.
Votes at a glance - Promotion: Corporal Tamara Hall to sergeant — approved (recorded vote: majority in favor). - Traffic signals (Midwestern Electric) — contract awarded (roll-call: approved). - Milestone Contractors — concrete pad at Gleeson Park (contingent on QC-40) — approved. - Trusted Journey (animal cremation) — contract approved (packet: not to exceed $12,000). - Centas (uniform/shop towels) — memorandum approved (packet figures discussed; see note below). - IT services to Gary Chicago International Airport — ratified (packet lists ~$111,283; staff to reconcile). - DataMade contract amendment — approved (amount corrected to $37,280). - Claims/payroll/pensions — claims payable $339,703.72, ratified claims $108,055.70, payroll ratified $8,487,458.97, pensions ratified $691,394.53.
Meeting note: packet figures and meeting discussion contained a small number of inconsistent dollar figures (for example, Centas and the IT contract). Board members asked staff to reconcile those line items and produce QC-40 forms or supporting documentation where noted.
