Adam Wason public works director for the city of Bloomington apologies I couldn't be there in person
this evening we're at the Association of Indiana municipalities annual conference and so.
going to participate in some things down here for the next couple days. But I appreciate the board for
being here this evening. Again, Adam Wayson, Public Works Director. This is the regularly scheduled
meeting of the Board of Public Works for Tuesday, October 21st, 2025. You all are in council chambers
in Bloomington, Indiana. And any members of the public that are in attendance on Zoom this evening,
we will have opportunities for public comment for all items on the agenda and items not on the agenda.
If you're on Zoom, we'll ask that you use the raise hand or the chat function to indicate that you have
a comment to be made. And then if you're a member of the public in person, you will just approach the
podium at the appropriate times. Otherwise, I'll turn it over to Kyla Cox-Deckard, Board President for
the Board of Public Works, and thank you very much. Thank you. I call to order this regular meeting
of the Board of Public Works this Tuesday, October 21st of 2025.
First we have messages from board members. Do we have any messages from the board this evening. Next
we have appeals title six excessive growth appeal for 1901 East Viva Drive.
Hello board members Taylor Brown assistant city attorney this was a notice of violation to 1901 East
Viva Drive we have the neighborhood compliance officers who issued the notice as a violation present
this evening if you have any questions the first this came through your report as a initial complaint
of overgrowth the pictures provided in your packets on August 26th.
were taken initially when the first notice was issued. No fine was issued at that time or no citation
was issued at the time. Just a warning. Then again on September 18th the second notice of violation
was issued because the violation had not been corrected. And at that time a citation of $50 was issued
and then the appeal was timely filed.
In accordance with Bloomington Municipal Code 6.0 6.0 5.0 it is unlawful for the owner of any lot or
tract of ground within the city to allow it to come overgrown with weeds grass or noxious plants beyond
the height of eight inches Or to such extent that the growth is detrimental to public health and constitutes
a nuisance the grass reaches that same definition and in accordance with Coming over through a you report
complaint. It also I would think rises to the level of nuisance, but happy to answer any questions you have
Thank you. And do we have the appellant president. If you if you can just state your name and not here.
Yeah no there is good. If you can state your name and just tell us about your appeal. Sure. My name
is Natalie Bainter. I'm one of the owners of 1901 East Viva Drive. I'm not really sure if I should look
at you or you but I'll try to include everyone.
Wrote in my appeal That my husband and I are farmers our farm is in Hamilton County and our only working
mower Which is our two-wheel tractor for our farm is also in Hamilton County and the summer is the busiest
time for farmers And we don't always get the lawn crispy clean We do have someone. I don't know this
person. I've never met them, but it's my understanding from
Regular hand officer who I've spoken with several times that there's someone who's not my direct neighbor
who made this complaint They walk around the city and make complaints like this. I wish they would talk
to me so I could tell them why the grass isn't cut but That's essentially the story. I didn't mention
that about the community member in my appeal, but it feels worthwhile to mention and I also Emailed
the regular officer
about this and he suggested that I make an appeal. So that's why I'm here. Thank you. Are there questions
from the board for staff or for the appellant question for the appellant. Is it your testimony tonight
that on the dates of August 26th and September 18th your grass was or was not taller than eight inches.
August 26th, I believed it was a different violation and I could have been incorrect in that but I thought
that violation was about the landscaping type grass that was obscuring the Yield sign on our corner
and I did have a friend come and help with that who has a weed whacker How about September 18th September?
Yes, my grass was long. Okay. Thank you. Mm-hmm
Thanks for being here in person. I'm just curious if this has been something that's been an issue in
previous summers if you have lived at the same address if there have been other complaints about a similar
issue at the same address in past years. I don't know about past years. I believe that this year is
the first time that I talked to the regular officer like I said was very kind and let me know about
this person who
complained about my house and others. I have not met this person. Does that answer your question.
Thank you. And I have a question for staff for the site regarding the citation. If we could just get
clarification that the citation that was issued on August 26 well technically was not a citation but
it was a warning what in the detail of
The August 26 I believe we've got the September paperwork on file. I just was wondering if the August
26 paperwork included the same information requesting that the grass generally be cut. That's a question
for city staff.
Okay that's fine. Apologies sorry. Yes it is for the same violation in the same code. Excessive growth
six point six point oh five oh and it didn't say anything about like a specific section of grass. It
just said no it just said excessive excessive growth. Correct.
Is it possible for us to see the actual notice of violation from the August date. We have the notice
from 9 18 but not it looks like a page from triple something in triplicate maybe the actual written
notice that was perhaps left at the address.
I'll chime in to hear this Adam place in public works director. I believe when I saw that that was also
that was the warning that did issue was issued for the excessive growth I think the compliment the issue
we have here is well it was reported by you know through you report in a resident it's clear that the
lawn was out of compliance for an extensive period of time why the Notice of violation was issued you
know whether this was a
Done through neighborhood rounds that the neighborhood compliance officers normally just do or if it's
complaint driven You know, we're seeing that the property simply out of compliance for extended periods
of time. So I just want to make note of that Thank you for that I think the question here is we've got
the $50 citation, but there's just not a paper version for us to see the warning that was issued and
just making sure that the language is
was the same, but thank you for your explanation.
So on the warning it would have been marked the same and he would have just marked the top box there
that you see that says BMC 6.0 6 0 5 0 excessive growth and then he would have marked a warning with
no fine do at this time. We just print off what the note what is entered into our system as a notice
of violation and not the actual ticket piece. Thank you. And we do have the.
Kind of the formal whatever was input. Yeah, the formal one is just the site is like the citation just
for the actual code violation non-specific That would be great to have Yeah, it's just it's a little
unclear looking at the documentation here and
It very clearly on the carbon that was provided for the notice of violation for September 18th there
are comments that say grass over eight inches please mow yard. It sounds like that there's a little
bit of confusion around what the directive was for the warning and there are not corrective action comments
listed in either of the documents that we have from the system.
Members of the board I also we also have the neighborhood compliance officers who can testify as to
what he wrote in that initial warning if that would be helpful. That would be great. Steve Tam what's
neighborhood compliance officer. So whenever I wrote the initial ticket the fire hydrant was covered
by the grass that she was talking about and the yield sign was obscured and I
noted that on the ticket and I also wrote please no yard. So that's all I have. Thank you. Any other
questions.
Is there a motion on this item. I move that we deny the appeal for Title 6 successive growth at 1901
East Viva Drive. Second. All right. We have a motion and a second. I will call the roll. Crone I Roach
I Cox Deckard I motion passes.
Next up on the agenda is petitions and remonstrances. If we have anyone who would like to make a public
comment about something that is not on the agenda this evening now is the opportunity to do so. If you're
on Zoom you can use the raised hand function or the chat function to let us know you'd like to make
a comment. And if you are in the room you can approach the microphone. None on Zoom seeing none.
Next we have the consent agenda under the consent agenda. We have the minutes for July 15th of 2025
the minutes for July 29th of 2025 and resolution 2025 dash 0 7 8 BPD disposal of lead and brass. Are
there any questions from the board on the consent agenda. Can you please add payroll as I did. Sorry.
I apologize that was left and you noted that in your synopsis earlier also in the consent agenda is
payroll Are there any public comments on anything within the consent agenda None on zoom seeing none
is there a motion I
I move that we approve the consent agenda for tonight's meeting of October twenty one twenty twenty
five second. All right. I will call the roll. I Roach. I Cox Deckard. I motion passes next. We have
new business under new business. We have alley closure on East Kirkwood Avenue. Hello. Zach Bell from
engineering.
Wells masonry restoration is requesting an extension of a permitted alley closure on the east side of
205 East Kirkwood Avenue. This request is to accommodate boom lifts performing masonry work. The traffic
control would be in place from 10 21 through 11 0 7 25 for a total of four weeks of closure. Keith Roberts
has supplied maintenance of traffic plans for all work and has notified adjacent property owners about
the BBW meeting and the intended scope of their work.
Thank you. Questions on this item. Any public comments on this item. None on zoom seeing none. Is there
a motion. I move that we approve the alley closure on East Kirkwood Avenue. Second I will call the roll.
Caron I Roach I Cox Deckard I motion passes.
Next we have contract with Ian be paving for sidewalk repair project for Kirkwood Avenue and Grant Street.
This is a request to award a contract for the sidewalk repair project at Kirkwood Avenue. I'm sorry
I'm Miranda Beaver of Public Works for Joe and even her for the street department. That's that part.
But this is to award a contract for the sidewalk repair project at Kirkwood Avenue and Grant Street
on the northwest corner to E&B paving. This project includes removal and replacement of concrete sidewalk
and curb removal and replacement of tree grates and frames that are provided by the city and reset and
relocating parking meters adjust casting degrade reset benches and bike racks and reset delineators
and signs per instructions.
Sealed quotes were open on October 6 2025 and Ian be paving LLC was determined to be the lowest responsive
and responsible bidder with a total bid of ninety two thousand two hundred and twenty two dollars. We
anticipate that this project will significantly improve pedestrian safety in the downtown area
and construction timelines and public notices will be coordinated to ensure residents and businesses
are informed throughout this process through the end of 2025.
Thank you Miranda. I couldn't get off mute quick enough to do that one for you. So I appreciate that.
Questions from the board on this item. Any public comments on this item. None on zoom is there a motion.
I move that we approve the contract with EMB paving for the sidewalk repair project at Kirkwood Avenue
and Grant Street. Second.
Roach. Hi, Cox. Deckard. I motion passes Next we have a service agreement with groomer construction
for plants or box repair at the southwest corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Grant Street Hello, Adam Wason
public works director. This is a $1,600 repair that I didn't know needed to come to the board of public
works But it is because it's a contract. So we're repairing a planter This is going to go to groomer
construction and an amount not to exceed one thousand six hundred dollars
We request your approval. Thank you. Questions from the board on this item. Just curious I guess we
heard about another planter box that maybe was collided with. I don't know if this is natural deterioration
or if there was an accident. I believe this one was also on the corner where it was probably a delivery
truck or something like that. OK. Thank you.
And I'm just going to reiterate we had talked in the work session about the fact that groomer construction
has done repairs on these planter boxes in the past. And so this is within their kind of typical scope
of work on these kinds of projects. Yep. And Adam along those lines any any consideration about things
that might be done to help prevent this in the future. Bollard things like that.
Yeah, so there's we've got bollards at most of these intersections There's not room for a bollard at
this one the way it was originally designed is my recollection for this specific one But long term we're
gonna have to work We're having a longer term conversation with parks and rec and others about the planters
along Kirkwood and throughout the downtown and how we maintain and manage those Especially knowing that
we've had kind of repeated hits on a few of them Thank you
Any public comments on this item. None on zoom. Seeing none. Is there a motion. I move that we approve
the service agreement with groomer construction for planter box repair at the southwest corner of Kirkwood
Avenue and Grant Street. Second. All right. I will call the roll. Caron I Roche I Cox Deckard I motion
passes. Next we have approval of claims.
Are there any questions from the board on claims? Any public comments on claims? None on zoom Seeing
none. Is there a motion on the claims? I move that we approve claims this evening in the amount of one
million five hundred eleven thousand two hundred eighty dollars and fifty eight cents Second. All right,
I will call the roll crown. I roach I Cox Deckard I motion passes
Seeing as there is nothing else on our agenda this evening. I will call for adjournment