Justice Center procurement in Indianapolis is raising alarms about the City Council’s failure so far to appropriate the $750,000 stipend that was promised to compliant bidders.

A $408-million design-build contract and long-term O&M agreement was negotiated with the mayor’s office last December by WMB Heartland Justice Partners, led by Walsh Investors and Meridiam Infrastructure. Substantial changes were made to address concerns raised by City/County Council members. To no avail—by a 16-13 vote on June 8, the Democrat-controlled council refused to consider a final private offer to modernize the courts and jail system under a 35-year DBFOM contract strongly supported by Republican Mayor Greg Ballard.