Hartford City Council Passes $7.16 Million CSO Bond Ordinance

From the Hartford City Common Council special meeting on June 16, 2026

Hartford City Common Council unanimously approved a $7.16 million bond ordinance Monday night to finance Phase 4 of the city's combined sewer overflow project. The council suspended its rules to complete first and second readings in a single special meeting, passing Ordinance 2026-06 on a 5-0 vote. The bonds will be purchased by the Indiana Bond Bank, which required additional provisions before closing — including wire transfer payments, a 1.25x annual debt service coverage ratio, and Bond Bank approval before any future bond issuances. Bond counsel Julie Boling presented the changes, noting no financial parameters were altered from what was previously authorized. Interest rates range from 3.38% on the earliest maturities to 4.98% on the latest, well below the 8% maximum the council had authorized. The bonds mature January 1, 2047. Council members reacted positively. The meeting chair noted "our bids were a lot less than last month." The $7.16 million bond amount falls under the $8 million authorized cap and covers the CSO Phase 4 construction cost — previously reported at approximately $6.28 million from apparent low bidder Cobalt Civil — plus issuance costs and reserves. All five council members were present: Michael Wolfe, Tracey Witt, Ron Dudelston (presiding), Bill Aspy, and Tony Skaggs. Residents will repay the bonds through sewer utility revenues over the next 21 years.

Source: Hartford City Council Meeting, June 16, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.