St. John board OKs $127,924 parking‑lot resurfacing; members press for local vendors, budget clarity

The Town of Saint John Park and Recreation Board voted 4–0 on Nov. 18 to award contract No. 823 to Holland Asphalt Services Inc. for resurfacing and expanding the community center parking lot at a contract price of $127,924.34.

During review of the work scope board members asked technical questions about how new pavement would tie into the existing lot. One board member also pressed staff on vendor selection, raising concerns about spending with out‑of‑state firms: “Why are we going out of state? Why aren’t we utilizing Indiana companies and putting the money back into our state?” The town manager and staff responded that some prior purchases had been approved by the board and offered to provide a detailed financial summary at the next meeting.

A member also said the community center has had substantial expenditures in recent months: “Right now, we’re at approximately 430,000 for things that went to the community center while we had absolutely no involvement whatsoever in it,” and asked for a clearer accounting. Staff agreed to prepare totals for the board’s next packet.

Why it matters: the resurfacing contract is a capital improvement that affects accessibility and long‑term maintenance at the community center and is funded from board accounts. Members’ procurement questions signal an interest in keeping local vendor dollars in Indiana and in improving budget transparency as the board transitions without a permanent superintendent.

What’s next: staff will provide a financial summary of community center receipts and expenditures and circulate superintendent candidate resumes as they are received. No appeals or public objections were offered during the meeting; the board adjourned after routine business.