Soldier Township hires Stifel as financial advisor and schedules special meeting to place bond on ballot

Soldier Township trustees voted June 10 to hire Stifel Financial Advisors to advise on a projected bond election that will fund upcoming capital projects. Administrator Audree Guzman recommended the hire to handle the scale and projected size of the financing; Clerk Mike Mathes moved to retain Stifel and Treasurer Jerry Glasgow seconded. The motion carried.

Attorneys from Gilmore Bell told the board that a special meeting will be held in August to adopt a resolution calling the bond election and to submit the required materials to the county. Gilmore Bell also advised that the design‑build team will finalize a projected project budget to be included in the bond question. Trustees discussed, without taking action, whether any excess bond proceeds could be used to refinance outstanding township debt at lower interest rates.

Legal counsel reviewed a proposed contract with KBS, and KBS and HTK representatives discussed contract conditions and amendments. Trustees directed legal counsel to prepare the requested contract changes and tabled formal approval of the design‑builder contract until the July meeting.

What this means: hiring a financial advisor gives the township an outside resource to structure and price a potential bond sale and to coordinate with bond counsel and underwriters. The board’s next steps include receiving a final project budget from the design‑build team, approving contract language for the design‑builder and, if applicable, adopting a resolution at the special August meeting to call the election.