City Council Looks Into Air Pollution

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By JENNIFER PERYAM, Times-Union Staff Writer-

The Warsaw City Council is continuing to look into controlling air pollution in Kosciusko County.

City Council member Charles Smith informed the city council during its meeting Monday night that he discussed air pollution statistics he received from two families in his district in Kosciusko County with Joe DeRita, president of Dalton Foundry, last week.

Smith previously shared Associated Press statistics at the council's Sept. 16 meeting that stated areas around Lincoln Elementary School, Kosciusko Community Hospital and 1818 N. Bay Drive were rated in the top 5 to 10 percent as being the worst neighborhoods nationally for potential health risks caused by industrial air pollution.

Smith said he and Mayor Ernie Wiggins will meet with DeRita next week to discuss the air pollution problem in Kosciusko County.

Smith said DeRita informed him last week the foundry has put in money for air purification and hopes to acquire state-of-the-art equipment to reduce air fumes.

Also during the meeting, an article dated Oct. 26 from the Wall Street Journal titled "Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, But Warsaw, Ind., Makes Replacement" was presented during the meeting by Mayor Ernie Wiggins.

The article reported on orthopedics in Indiana and the growth of orthopedics becoming a regional force with orthopedic companies developing in nearby farm towns and suburbs of Fort Wayne.

A letter written by Lori Masapollo, manager of corporate affairs for Comcast, was presented during the meeting.

The letter was in regards to a Comcast franchise notice informing the city of an election to terminate a local franchise cable provider and consider a state franchise provider.

The expiration date of the local franchise would have been Dec. 16, 2009. The state franchise is being filed concurrently with the filing of the notice. The letter states the Indiana Legislature, with the support of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, recently reformed the Indiana law regarding video franchising.

The new law provides that an entity that is providing video service under an existing local franchise as of June 30, may terminate its local franchise and seek a state-issued franchise by filing an application for a certificate of franchise authority with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Wiggins also presented a packet titled "Addressing Storm Water Issues" from the Indiana Municipal Management Institute he received when he attended a conference last month in Indianapolis.

The information states the Environmental Protection Agency has identified stormwater as a leading source of water pollution in nearly 40 percent of surveyed water bodies in the United States.

Wiggins also presented a financial management report prepared by H.J. Umbaugh & Associates for six months that ended June 30 intended to provide information for the city council to review and consider relative to the financial management to the Warsaw Municipal Sewage Works.

The council also:

• Approved a transfer of funds ordinance for the Warsaw Fire Department in the amount of $26,000 including transferring $6,000 into operating supplies to cover a shortage of diesel/gasoline expenses and $2,000 to purchase a thermal imaging camera.

• Approved a transfer of funds ordinance for the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department for $750 from repair and maintenance supplies and improvements other than buildings to cover anticipated additional expenses as related to the installation of fencing at Mantis Skate Park.

• Approved a transfer of funds for the Warsaw Police Department for $2,000 from police equipment to police office supplies to replenish funds used to pay for printer and toner cartridges, paper, forms, pens and other office supplies out of the 2006 budget.

• Approved a liability insurance premium for the city totalling $259,202 for Nov. 17, 2005, to Nov. 17, 2006, and $248,673 for Nov. 17, 2006, to Nov. 17, 2007.

The city council will meet again Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at city hall. [[In-content Ad]]

The Warsaw City Council is continuing to look into controlling air pollution in Kosciusko County.

City Council member Charles Smith informed the city council during its meeting Monday night that he discussed air pollution statistics he received from two families in his district in Kosciusko County with Joe DeRita, president of Dalton Foundry, last week.

Smith previously shared Associated Press statistics at the council's Sept. 16 meeting that stated areas around Lincoln Elementary School, Kosciusko Community Hospital and 1818 N. Bay Drive were rated in the top 5 to 10 percent as being the worst neighborhoods nationally for potential health risks caused by industrial air pollution.

Smith said he and Mayor Ernie Wiggins will meet with DeRita next week to discuss the air pollution problem in Kosciusko County.

Smith said DeRita informed him last week the foundry has put in money for air purification and hopes to acquire state-of-the-art equipment to reduce air fumes.

Also during the meeting, an article dated Oct. 26 from the Wall Street Journal titled "Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, But Warsaw, Ind., Makes Replacement" was presented during the meeting by Mayor Ernie Wiggins.

The article reported on orthopedics in Indiana and the growth of orthopedics becoming a regional force with orthopedic companies developing in nearby farm towns and suburbs of Fort Wayne.

A letter written by Lori Masapollo, manager of corporate affairs for Comcast, was presented during the meeting.

The letter was in regards to a Comcast franchise notice informing the city of an election to terminate a local franchise cable provider and consider a state franchise provider.

The expiration date of the local franchise would have been Dec. 16, 2009. The state franchise is being filed concurrently with the filing of the notice. The letter states the Indiana Legislature, with the support of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, recently reformed the Indiana law regarding video franchising.

The new law provides that an entity that is providing video service under an existing local franchise as of June 30, may terminate its local franchise and seek a state-issued franchise by filing an application for a certificate of franchise authority with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Wiggins also presented a packet titled "Addressing Storm Water Issues" from the Indiana Municipal Management Institute he received when he attended a conference last month in Indianapolis.

The information states the Environmental Protection Agency has identified stormwater as a leading source of water pollution in nearly 40 percent of surveyed water bodies in the United States.

Wiggins also presented a financial management report prepared by H.J. Umbaugh & Associates for six months that ended June 30 intended to provide information for the city council to review and consider relative to the financial management to the Warsaw Municipal Sewage Works.

The council also:

• Approved a transfer of funds ordinance for the Warsaw Fire Department in the amount of $26,000 including transferring $6,000 into operating supplies to cover a shortage of diesel/gasoline expenses and $2,000 to purchase a thermal imaging camera.

• Approved a transfer of funds ordinance for the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department for $750 from repair and maintenance supplies and improvements other than buildings to cover anticipated additional expenses as related to the installation of fencing at Mantis Skate Park.

• Approved a transfer of funds for the Warsaw Police Department for $2,000 from police equipment to police office supplies to replenish funds used to pay for printer and toner cartridges, paper, forms, pens and other office supplies out of the 2006 budget.

• Approved a liability insurance premium for the city totalling $259,202 for Nov. 17, 2005, to Nov. 17, 2006, and $248,673 for Nov. 17, 2006, to Nov. 17, 2007.

The city council will meet again Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at city hall. [[In-content Ad]]

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