Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Warsaw Building Inspector Pam Kennedy and City Planner Jeff Noffsinger showed concern for a recently burned home Friday at the Board of Public Works and Safety.

Wiggins said he received a list of neighbors asking about the status and future of the home at 939 E. Fort Wayne St.

"That house has been a nuisance for 15 years," Kennedy said.

She also said there have been drugs in the house and numerous drug busts have taken place.

"That house has concerned every department within the city," Kennedy said.

"Basically, it's a nonconforming use," Noffsinger said. "So we're going back through the history records to see when it became nonconforming."

Kennedy said the property is still repairable.

In other business:

• The board approved a contract for a staff retreat for the Building and Planning Department.

The purpose is to clarify the departmental mission and develop a set of prioritized goals and action plans.

The retreat will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 24 at the Blue Lion in Winona Lake.

Specific objectives for the retreat include: identifying current issues, opportunities and strengths facing the department staff and developing staff commitment to a unified departmental mission and the department goals/projects.

• Andy McCleary, activities director for Warsaw Parks and Recreation, submitted proposals to the board from Ranger Materials to clean, seal and re-stripe five Center Lake parking lots and an area that services Central and Municipal parks.

Total cost for this project is $3,363.79. The board approved McCleary's proposals.

• Board members also granted permission to the parks department to trade in three pieces of equipment: riding mower, mover deck and snow blade.

• Board members granted reimbursement to Jim Cooper, a history professor, for his work with the parks department.

"It's strictly for mileage reimbursement," Noffsinger said. "He's donating his time."

McCleary and Noffsinger said they've been "sitting on this for four or five months now."

Total reimbursement is $92.72.

• Board members approved a new street sweeping agreement with Indiana Department of Transportation.

The current agreement expires June 30 and the new agreement, lasting one year, will begin July 1.

• Board members also renewed grants for the Warsaw Police Department Victim Service Center and Victim Assistance Program.

"These are continuations of what we have been doing," Wiggins said.

There will be no new cost to the city for these grants.

• The board also approved the hiring of Probationary Patrolman Cory Willard.

Willard was one of two picks from the review board and will replace Patrolman Dave Morales, who began duties as a school resource officer last September.

Willard also was recently accepted into the Police Pension Fund. He will be hired Sunday.

The Warsaw Board of Works and Public Safety includes Ernie Wiggins, Paul Siebenmorgen and Jerry Patterson. [[In-content Ad]]