Board of Public Works & Safety

SPECIAL HYBRID/ ZOOM MEETING – October 10 , 2023 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Michigan City, Indiana, met in SPECIAL MEETING on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 8:30 a.m., hosted by “Hybrid/Zoom” and streaming live on “My Michigan City” Facebook page. The meeting was called to order by President, Virginia Keating, who presided. Noted present in person: Virginia Keating, Michael Vinson, and Mayor Parry (3), Absent: None (0). A QUORUM WAS NOTED PRESENT. Also noted in attendance: Amber Lapaich Stalbrink, Corporate Counsel Andrew White, Alco TV Yvonne Hoffmaster, City Controller Brad Minnick, Interim City Engineer Skyer York, Planning Director Gale Neulieb, City Clerk Amanda Pickens, Assistant Deputy Clerk President Keating read the following request. CONTRACT MODIFACTION- Nicole Baker NICTD, is requesting to make additional modifications at Grace Street and School Street to ensure these locations comply with the “Quiet Zone” requirements not to exceed $65,000.00. President Keating stated funding has been provided. Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC., addressed the board giving a recap of the funding with the original cost being $949,036.92 and included a 20% contingency fund for $140,988.00. This purposed change order would not exceed $65,000.00 and would be paid in part from the construction contingency fund. President Keating asked if there were any board comments, there was no response. Vice President Vinson made a motion to approve these modifications at Grace Street and School Street to ensure these locations comply with the “Quiet Zone” requirements not to exceed $65,000.00; second by Mayor Parry by the following votes AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3). NAYS: None (0) Motion Carries. President Keating read the following request STREETLIGHT REQUEST- Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC., is requesting streetlights to be installed at the following intersections located on 11th Street at (1) Chicago Street, (2) Manhattan Street, (3) York Street and (4) Phillips Street. All lights would be on the south side of the new double railroad tracks. Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC., addressed the board stating the lights will be installed at the intersections not at mid-block. The light pole located at Phillip Street was removed as part of the NICTD Double Track Project and would be reinstalled as this would provide a light at each intersection on 11th Street. President Keating asked if there were any board comments. Mayor Parry asked Mr. Minnick if all the lights would be hanging off the NIPSCO poles. Brad Minnick responded to Mayor Parry stating “Yes” as he has identified the poles and will submit them to NIPSCO if the Board approves the request. Vice President Vinson made a motion approving the installation of streetlights at the following intersections located on 11th Street at (1) Chicago Street, (2) Manhattan Street, (3) York Street and (4) Phillips Street. All lights would be on the south side of the new double railroad tracks; second by Mayor Parry by the following votes AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3) NAYS: None (0) Motion Carries. President Keating read the following request Special Hybrid/Zoom Meeting – October 10, 2023 Page 2 EMERGENCY STREET REPAIRS- Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC, is requesting repairs to portions of Town Centre Drive (in front of Meijer’s) from Larkspur Lane north due to emergency repairs and will not exceed $52,000.000 with the funds coming from the current CCMG project. Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC., addressed the board stating for clarification the work would be tied to the CCMG project but, will not be funded with CCMG funds as it would be locally funded only. Attorney Lapaich Stalbrink, addressed the board explaining that this a very critical distinction as the City cannot use CCMG funds for any roads that are were not identified in the application for the CCMG funding, therefore the City will pay for this project from non- CCMG funds. In other words, the City can execute a change order but cannot use CCMG funding for the roads that have not been approved for CCMG funding. Further conversation ensued as Brad Minnick explained the picture further in detail as what is getting done and a timeline for completion. President Keating asked if there were any board comments, there was no response. Vice President Vinson made a motion approving that repairs to portions of Town Centre Drive (in front of Meijer’s) from Larkspur Lane north due to an emergency and the cost of repairs will not exceed $52,000.000; second by Mayor Parry by the following votes AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3) NAYS: None (0) Motion Carries. President Keating read the following request STREET CONVERSION- Skyler York, Planning Director, is requesting the conversion of 9th Street between Wabash Street and Ohio Street from one-way east bond to two- way traffic as proposed in 2016. Skyler York Planning Director, stating we have a striping crew coming to town this week and with this road it would simply be striping and signage as there would be no changing of curves, street widening or shorting parking spaces as this was in the original down town plans in 2016 as he provided the board with a packet showing the details and benefits of converting of 9th Street to two-way. Brad Minnick Haas & Associates, LLC., addressed the board stating the conversion would enhance connectivity with 11th Street going one way going east to west, with the budgetary cost of $25,000.00 including (5) LED signs and the pavement marking along 9th Street. He is in agreement with Skyler that they add this as a change order to the existing pavement striping contract if funding is available and present this to the next Board meeting for the work to be completed this Fall. President Keating asked if Planning was going to notify residents in that area that the road is to be converted to two-way traffic Skyler York stated “Yes”, Planning will place flyers on the resident doors with the project timeline. President Keating asked Mr. York if the parking configuration will change. Skyler York replied to President Keating, the direction would change as the street will now be two-way from one-way but there is no reconfiguration. It would just a simple double yellow line President Keating asked if there were any board comments. Mayor Parry stated he thinks this is an excellent idea as many more changes and modifications will happen with the Double Track Project completing. Discussion ensued regarding the three way “Stop” signs into a four way “Stop” sign at Wabash Street. Special Hybrid/Zoom Meeting – October 10, 2023 Page 3 Vice President Vinson made a motion approving the conversion of 9th Street between Wabash Street and Ohio Street from one-way east bond to two-way traffic as proposed in 2016; second by Mayor Parry by the following votes AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3) NAYS: None (0) Motion Carries. President Keating read the following request POLICY UPDATE- President Keating, is requesting to update the Board of Works Policy for Special Events Involving Street Closures and the Board of Public Works and Safety Agenda Request Form so that a Certificate of Insurance is attached to each application. President Keating stated there is a conflict between these two documents. The Request Form states “A certificate of insurance showing a liability policy in full force and effect with limits of $1,000,000.00 aggregate and naming the City of Michigan City as an additional insured for this event must be attached to your application before being placed on the meeting agenda. Whereas section (B) on page 3 of the Board of Works Policy for Special Events Involving Street Closures states in part that “A Certificate of Insurance of the Requestor must be submitted to the City Clerk/s Office no later than thirty (30” days prior to the special event”. The Clerk’s office has been following the procedure found in (B) on page 3 of its Policy For Special Events and found it to be untenable. President Keating requests that the Policy For Special Events be changed requiring that the COI be attached to the application prior to the application being put on the Board’s agenda. Attorney Lapaich Stalbrink stated just for clarification you will be voting to amend the Special Events section three that states a Certificate of Insurance must be provided with the request to be put on the Board of Works Agenda. Vice President Vinson made a motion approving to amend the section of the Special Events that the COI be submitted with the request to be put on the Board of Works Agenda; second by Mayor Parry by the following votes AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3) NAYS: None (0) Motion Carries. ADJOURNMENT The presiding officer inquired whether there was anything else to be considered by the Board at this time and, there being none, asked for a motion to ADJOURN the meeting at approximately 8:45 a.m. Mayor Parry made the motion to Adjourn. The motion was seconded by Vice President Vinson. AYES: Board of Public Works and Safety members Keating, Vinson, and Parry (3). NAYS: None (0). Motion Carries . _________________________________________ Gale A. Neulieb, City Clerk