Kokomo Board approves KPD promotion, several construction contracts and $2.52 million in claims

The Kokomo Board of Public Works and Safety on May 6 approved a series of personnel actions, contracts and payments, including the promotion of a Kokomo Police Department officer and the award of a city-funded road construction consultant and resurfacing contract.

Chair of the Board (Speaker 1) read a recommendation from Chief Stout to promote Officer Mason Fisher (badge 425) to sergeant and requested the promotion be effective May 3; the board approved the promotion and set a 180-day probationary training period. The record contains an unresolved discrepancy on the effective date: the Chair read an effective date of 05/03/2025 while the motion filed on the record specified 05/03/2026; the discrepancy was not corrected on the record.

The board approved an LPA consultant contract with American StructurePoint for construction engineering on the Gore Road reconstruction project, a contract the Chair said is being funded 100% by the city because the NPO lacks sufficient funds. The board also approved a utility relocation reimbursement agreement with Duke Energy, for $135,488.65, in connection with the Northside interceptor project; the Chair said the city attorney and the consulting engineer had reviewed the agreement and found it acceptable.

In procurement action on the 2026 Community Crossings resurfacing project the board considered two bids received April 22. DC Construction Services submitted a lower bid but, the Chair said, did not identify a certified asphalt plant as required by the bid documents and was therefore judged nonresponsive; the board awarded the contract to the next-lowest responsive bidder, E and B Paving LLC, for $1,081,820.

The board approved the 2026 budget for Championship Park, presented by the Chair as coordinated with Bullpen tournaments and in compliance with ordinance number 6982 passed by the city council. The Chair reported that airport director Sean Baker requested a Freightliner 108SD snow-plow/dump truck from Sourcewell contracts for $218,700; the board approved the purchase.

Multiple conference-center items advanced. The board approved change orders 70, 71, 75, 76 and 77, described on the record as net zero to the guaranteed maximum price, based on recommendations from Veritas Group and prior approval by the CDB. Pay application number 22 and several invoices were approved following the CVB’s acceptance of Veritas Group’s payment recommendation, including a $839,020.50 recommended payment to the contractor (with $44,158.98 held in a tannage account per the construction agreement) and invoices to SMR ($15,243), Veritas Group ($7,267), Elsewin Technologies ($11,200), Berrycom ($8,457.50) and SKO ($4,686). The board also approved Stafford Smith change order number 2 for $5,815.70 to add coffee-and-tea equipment and installation.

The parks superintendent’s request to lease a used ice machine for the Senior Citizen Center from Thermodyne Inc. at $50 per month for two years, plus a $350 installation charge, was approved. The meeting included one item of correspondence received May 4 from Tyrone Jefferson of 2221 West Sycamore, who objected to a tall-grass notice and asked who complained; the Chair said staff would communicate with the relevant department. No public commenters spoke at the meeting.

On a motion from a board member (Speaker 2) seconded by the Chair the board approved claims totaling $2,516,567.49 and adjourned the meeting.

The board recorded a handful of minor inconsistencies in the transcripted record (notably the promotion effective date and some years/dates listed in procurement items); those inconsistencies remain on the public record and were not resolved during the meeting. The next procedural steps for each contract (execution, notice to contractor, or further council action where required) were not detailed on the record.