Council may give up crime-grant duty to Parks Foundation
Under a proposal on its way to the City-County Council, the Indianapolis Parks Foundation would oversee millions of dollars in tax-supported grants for crime prevention.
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Parking meter replacement set to begin in March
Affiliated Computer Services, which struck a deal late last year to manage the city’s parking meters, will begin replacing meters in downtown Indianapolis and Broad Ripple early next month.
CIB set to approve parking lot paving bid
The Capital Improvement Board will consider a bid for up to $900,000 to pave a gravel parking lot on the former site of Market Square Arena once slated for redevelopment.
Ice storm uses big chunk of city snow-removal budget
Indianapolis spent almost half its 2011 budget for snow removal—$3.4 million—to deal with last week’s ice and snow storms, the city announced Friday morning.
Technicality delays council’s North of South vote
A technicality caused the City-County Council on Monday night to put off a final vote on the massive North of South mixed-use project slated to be built on 14 acres north of the Eli Lilly and Co. corporate campus.
Bond wariness might make it tough for cities to borrow
Interest rates on municipal bonds have ticked up in the last two months to pre-recession levels as investors have pulled their money from bond funds in droves. That pattern has begun, gradually, to reverse, but the higher rates could add to the cost of issuing debt for pending city projects.
City seeks firm to manage events on the Central Canal
The city put out a request for proposals seeking companies that would schedule and oversee events such as weddings and Fourth of July celebrations on the city-owned portion of the walkway.
City offers another parks facility for lease
Indy Parks & Recreation officials on Monday issued a request for proposals from entities interested in leasing the Riverside Marina facility near 30th Street and White River Parkway.
Vote on North of South project’s bond financing delayed
The city’s Economic Development Committee, which was set to vote on the downtown project’s $98 million bond financing package on Tuesday, chose to wait until February after making a few changes.
City push on building codes draws gripes
A vigorous effort by city officials to enforce building-safety codes has some concerned that it’s becoming tougher to revitalize older properties.
Universal curbside recycling program looks iffy
Finding a way to cover the cost of expanding the program with revenue from sales of recycled goods such as aluminum, plastic and glass has proved tough, even as commodities prices rise with the improving economy.
Evans exits mayor’s race, supports Kennedy
Democratic City-County Councillor Jose Evans follows Indianapolis businessman Brian Williams out of the race to challenge Republican Mayor Greg Ballard.
Mayoral contender Kennedy to leave day job
Democratic mayoral candidate Melina Kennedy will leave her attorney job at law firm Baker and Daniels on Friday to begin campaigning full-time next month.
Water employee: Veolia falsified records to get bonuses
Testimony is part of effort to deny Veolia Water $29 million contract termination fee as part of utility sale. Group claims salaried employees owed millions of dollars.
Ballard to raise millions through utility, meter deals
In the spring, Mayor Greg Ballard introduced a plan to sell the city’s water and sewer utilities to Citizens Energy Group, the public charitable trust that owns Citizens Gas. About six months later, he rolled out a deal to lease the city’s parking meters to a private operator.
LEADING QUESTIONS: Deputy mayor keeps thick skin
Michael Huber has learned not to take critics' barbs personally as he oversees some of the city's biggest deals.
Fountain Square turning to first-of-kind tax to fund improvements
A Fountain Square group led by neighborhood business owners hopes to create an “economic improvement district” for the up-and-coming neighborhood, where additional tax revenue could be used for everything from litter cleanup and marketing to capital improvements.
Touted Build America Bonds may not be available for utility deal
Citizens Energy previously said not using the bonds would add about $100 million to the cost of the deal over 30 years.
City looking for consultants to ramp up green programs
The Office of Sustainability in November put out two requests for consultants or teams to implement environmentally friendly initiatives.
Start of downtown North of South project in flux
The developer of the $150 million mixed-use project in downtown Indianapolis had hoped to start construction by the end of the year. But delays in getting the project zoned properly likely will move the start date back.