Construction firm chosen for performance venue

Cambridge City’s council has awarded a bid for its new outdoor performance venue. 

Council conducted a special meeting Oct. 21 to review the two bids for the project. 

It will be built behind Cambridge City Volunteer Fire Department’s station at 127 W. Maple St., adjacent to Creitz Park. 

Council decided to award the base bid and one alternate bid to Pridemark Construction in Muncie. Thor Construction of Richmond also competed for the work. 

Pridemark’s base bid of $542,800 will include concrete work, a metal pavilion and some handicapped accessible parking.

The alternate bid of $44,000 will be for an outdoor seating area. 

Moving forward with those bids is contingent upon approval from Indiana’s Office of Rural and Community Affairs. 

A majority of the funding, $450,000, comes from an OCRA Community Development Block Grant. SugarCreek Packing contributed $25,000 and Wayne County’s tourism bureau gave $5,000. The balance is from the town’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Council President Jim McLane said that approval is expected within 10 days. Construction is expected to begin in November, pending OCRA’s approval.

For the past two summers, Cambridge City Main Street has secured sponsorships to offer free outdoor concerts on a temporary stage where the performance venue is to be built. Those concerts, often featuring regional bands performing pop/rock hits, have each drawn hundreds of listeners.  

In other business 

• At council’s Oct. 14 meeting, a resident suggested revisiting the town’s policy that residents are financially responsible for replacing deteriorating sidewalks or curbs in front of their properties. The town removes the sidewalk or curbs at its cost.
• No one spoke during a public hearing for the town’s 2025 budget, and council approved it.
• Desmond Bex received permission to build a fire pit and collection box for tattered flags on town property for his Eagle Scout badge. Help will come from American Legion and the fire department. His anticipated completion date is next summer.
• Council approved new youth baseball commissioner Nate Criswell. He replaces Devon Lambert, who was thanked for his efforts.
• Council asked Ken Risch, public works superintendent, about how many fines are being collected for blighted properties or tall grass. The town recently set a schedule for increasing fines when owners don’t make improvements. However, some likely won’t be collected until the properties are sold by out-of-area owners and the town receives money through liens. 
• Two new members are needed for the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals since Susie Dungan and Carol Snyder are stepping down.
• Baker Tilly, a municipal advising firm, was hired to conduct a water rate study for industrial park customers in anticipation of installing a new water tower. It won’t exceed $12,500.
• Council accepted $1,500 from Leland Legacy for the fire department’s Christmas lights display at Creitz Park and metal shelving built and installed by Miller Wood Specialties for the police department’s evidence room.
• Fundraising has begun to print a book about K-9 Jessie and distribute it to local children. Call 765-478-5773 for more information.

Council’s next meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at town hall, 127 N. Foote St.