Fishers is wasting no time in starting the purchase of audio-visual equipment and related technology for the new Arts Center/City Hall now under construction. Director of Information Technology for the city of Fishers, Tracy Gaynor, told the Board of Public Works and Safety that he is recommending moving “sooner than anticipated” in order to provide cost savings to the city of an estimated $124,000.
A Fishers-based vendor, Ultimate Technology Group (UTG), removed the information technology equipment from old City Hall before its demolition, without charging the city, and plans on including some or all of that equipment in plans for the new structure. According to Gaynor, UTG is providing a number of discounts to the city for its services. Also, suppliers are planning a 10% increase in pricing in 2023, allowing the city savings by initiating the purchase before the end of 2022. Total cost of this equipment is $889,157.39.
Mayor Scott Fadness thanked Gaynor for his work on this part of the Arts Center/City Hall project, as the board voted to go ahead with the recommended action. “Any savings we can get is good,” the mayor said.
In other items also approved at the Tuesday Board of Works session:
–A land acquisition was approved, a step toward constructing the new Events Center near the expanding Fishers District. Fadness says the financing for this project is moving forward with $90 million deposited into city accounts for the Events Center Wednesday of last week.
–The city is renewing an insurance contract through MJ Insurance. The total premium is just under $1.1 million. This includes an increase of $92,000 from the prior year. The city says the Increase is predominately due to market increases for cyber insurance and police professional insurance, along with increased property insurance due to increased property values.
–The board approved an Engineering Department recommendation on amending the traffic schedule. The changes can be viewed at this link.
–The board certified the election of Warren Henderson and Jim White to the Police Merit Commission, both elected by active members of the Fishers Police Department.
–Mayor Fadness thanked his two appointees to the Board of Works, Jeff Lantz & Jason Meyer, for serving in this unpaid position the past year, a very busy one for the city.
Seems like Fishers didn’t even get multiple buds on the AV equipment. At that cost, it doesn’t look like a great deal and usually when they push to make a contract because price increases – that’s typical sales tactics. If the price could be done now, it could be done in a month or two or three. What is needed is competitive bids.