Avon Town Council approves paving contract, creates insurance reserve and updates FMLA policy

The Avon Town Council on Feb. 26 approved a slate of routine actions and two ordinances on final reading, and introduced two additional code changes.

Bessie Porter, the town’s public works project coordinator, told the council the town held a bid opening that day for the 2026 CCMG paving project and recommended accepting the low bidder. "We had our bid opening today for the 2026 CCMG paving project. We had 5 bidders. We are looking for you to approve the lowest bidder listed, and I think that's it for me if you have any questions," Porter said. The council voted to award the project to Howard Company.

Legal counsel explained the final reading of ordinance 20 26-02, which creates section 2-293 establishing an insurance reserve fund. "This ordinance creates section 2-293, the insurance reserve fund," counsel said, noting the fund is intended to cover property, casualty, liability, workers’ compensation and health insurance costs and that it is a nonreverting fund "which means that it won't revert at the end of the year if there's a balance." Councilmembers confirmed the fund will be restricted to uses approved and appropriated by the council and adopted the ordinance on final reading.

The council also adopted ordinance 20 26-03 to amend the town’s family and medical leave policy. Legal counsel said the update clarifies the policy language and removes a pandemic-era emergency paid family and medical leave section that the counsel described as no longer required by state law: "that bill has since expired on its own terms, and it's not the law in Indiana anymore." The council voted to adopt the amendment on final reading.

On first reading the council introduced ordinance 20 26-04 to prohibit obstruction of mailboxes by adding section 8-76 to the town code. Councilmembers asked that penalty amounts be aligned with an ongoing comprehensive update to fines; staff indicated a likely recommendation of $100 for a first offense and $250 for subsequent offenses, and said the exact penalty language will be provided before final reading.

The council also introduced ordinance 20 26-05 to create section 2-295 establishing a buy money fund for undercover operations. Legal counsel said the State Board of Accounts requires such funds to be held separately for audit and transparency purposes; a councilmember questioned whether an initial $10,000 allocation was necessary given prior expenditures of roughly $2,500, and counsel characterized $10,000 as a common starting amount for agencies the town's size to allow operational flexibility.

Julie conducted roll calls for each formal vote. All roll-call responses recorded in the minutes were affirmative for the consent agenda, the paving award to Howard Company, and the two ordinances adopted on final reading.

Legal counsel reported staff have provided training for town boards and commissions in the first two months of the year, including the planning commission, BZA and the RDA. The council noted the next meeting is scheduled for March 12 with a 5:30 p.m. work session and a 7 p.m. regular meeting.

Votes at a glance: the consent agenda, the 2026 CCMG paving award to Howard Company, ordinance 20 26-02 (insurance reserve fund) and ordinance 20 26-03 (FMLA amendment) were approved by recorded roll-call vote. Ordinances 20 26-04 (mailbox obstruction) and 20 26-05 (buy money fund) were introduced and will return for future readings.