Bedford board approves contracts, equipment purchases, property deals and event closures at June 16 meeting

The City of Bedford Board of Works and Safety on June 16 approved a range of routine municipal items, from a cost-saving internet renewal for the Stonegate Arts & Education Center to purchases of municipal equipment and two property acquisitions.

Denise presented a three-year renewal with Smithville Internet for service at the Stonegate Arts & Education Center at a recurring monthly rate of $106.95, down from $277.95 under the prior agreement. “This was achieved by applying all the discounts and promotions that Smithville had to offer, enabling us to keep the exact internet plan that we currently have,” Denise said, noting the city will save about $171 per month under the new contract. The board approved the renewal by voice vote.

The board also approved a $1,500 interim agreement with Victor’s Consulting Services for professional grant-writing on the 2026 Assistance to Firefighters Grant, presented by the fire chief as a step toward replacing aging self-contained breathing apparatus (air packs). The chief said staff will return to the board before submitting a final application.

Infrastructure and maintenance items cleared the agenda. Staff recommended a $49,000 contract to repair nine spots on Glenn Meadows Parkway ahead of planned repaving next year; the board approved awarding the work to the low bidder. The board accepted an amended street-sweeping contract with the Indiana Department of Transportation that raises compensation from $360 to $450 per curb mile, a change the staff estimated will yield about $21,500 over the contract’s life through June 2029.

Street-lighting work with Duke Energy was approved in two parts: a service agreement to begin paying for two lights near the Brook Mall (listed at $1,744 monthly) and a pilot to install two new downtown poles (listed at $7,710 per month for both) to test replacement poles before wider replacement of older fixtures.

The board approved several capital and procurement items, including awarding a low bid of $11,900 to Stone City Excavating to replace the sidewalk at City Municipal Hall and approving the purchase of a 2026 Freightliner automated trash truck for $325,153 to be paid from the sanitation budget under a cooperative procurement contract.

On real estate, the board approved purchase agreements for two properties after averaging required appraisals: 11172 2nd Street for $134,000 and 10101 18th Street for $15,000, both presented by Misty.

Other approved items included a personnel appearance standards policy for tattoos and body modifications; a volunteer agreement to support the city’s “free little art gallery” box program; acceptance of a conflict-of-interest disclosure involving an employee and city street work; and a revised enforcement response plan tied to the city’s industrial pre-treatment program and IDEM permitting.

All agenda items were approved by voice vote with no substantive public comment recorded; the board signed claims and adjourned at the close of the meeting.