Hammond City board approves multiple CIB and district-gaming funding allocations, awards bollard contract and forwards barricade request

The Hammond City board approved a series of funding allocations, contract awards and event permits during its meeting, including a $18,900 award for fabricated steel bollards and multiple district-gaming and CIB allocations for street work and festival support.

The board, presided over by the chair (speaker 2), voted to approve correspondence from Jeffrey Long, chief of police, recommending the retirement of Sergeant James Bigham effective Aug. 20, 2026; the placement of an officer on unpaid administrative leave effective July 2, 2026; and reopening the Hammond police hiring list for applications through July 29, 2026. The board also approved a resignation recommended by Fire Chief Bernard Gazzoia for probationary firefighter Maxwell Smith effective July 13, 2026.

City engineer Dean Button asked the board to award the fabricated steel bollard fabrication for Hohman Avenue to Vans Industrial Incorporated of Hammond for $18,900 and to approve the CIB funding allocation for that work; staff noted the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) met July 6 and approved funding. "CIB met on July, July 6, approved the funding, and asked for your approval of both," said a staff member (speaker 5). The motion to approve carried.

Button also requested corrections and funding allocations related to resurfacing and reconstruction work: $92,300 of CIB funding for design of resurfacing on 165th Street (Kennedy to Kentucky) and Michigan Street (Hohman to Calumet), and $15,567.94 in CIB funding for Summer Street reconstruction change orders (Nos. 8 and 13–17). The board approved those allocations after staff said the submissions were corrective reclassifications rather than requests for new money.

Other project approvals included a $3,100 CIB allocation for curb removal and replacement work and an agreement with Brimmer Construction, a $10,700 allocation to remove mold-contaminated materials from a sold property at 5009 Calumet Avenue (work awarded to Dyer), and a $60,000 allocation for ongoing general engineering services with NEIS Engineering.

On event and permit matters, the controller's office requested and the board approved renewals of amusement-device licenses for multiple local businesses and approved special-event requests including a fee waiver and police-route review for a New Zion Temple Church group walk on Aug. 22 and a street closure request for an event on July 25. The board also approved eight right-of-way permits submitted by engineering for utility work, including a NIPSCO gas service request.

A lengthy exchange arose over a resident's request to place barricades at 2037 Caliman Avenue to block illegal parking during Festival of the Lakes. Board members and staff debated whether the barricades would be installed on private property or the public street, whether enforcement (ticketing) would be more appropriate, and whether similar requests should be handled annually. The board moved to forward the request to public works for follow-up.

The meeting also approved a district-gaming funding package that included $112,500 from the 6th district for resurfacing with Milestone, $69,500 from the 1st district for camera and lighting design with United Consulting, $30,000 from the 2nd district and $35,000 from the 3rd district for Festival of the Lakes, plus smaller allocations to correct invoices and cover Juneteenth shirts.

Before adjourning, the board approved an agreement with United Consulting for camera and lighting design on Cameron funded by district gaming and authorized John Vesemar to e-sign an annual agreement with "Connect with Q." The meeting concluded after routine business and an adjournment motion.

The board did not take up public comment beyond the barricade request and reported no members of the public in attendance.