Numerous scouts from Boy Scout Troop 819 attended Warsaw's City Council meeting Monday night in hopes of familiarizing themselves with the board's members, current city topics and governmental procedures.

While the scouts were present, the council recognized Karl Campbell as a newly honored Eagle Scout and thanked Campbell for his efforts of maintaining and extending the bike trails located in Winona Lake.

In a meeting lasting less than 45 minutes, the scouts experienced topics dealing with the city budget and related funding.

The board unanimously approved the second reading of the 2006 budget ordinance, as well as an ordinance establishing salaries for the mayor, clerk-treasurer, common council and plan commission.

"I think we really need to look at the time the plan commission puts into their meetings," councilman George Clemens said. "We need to better recognize their efforts."

The plan commission members are currently paid $30 per meeting and have experienced increasingly longer sessions. Last week's Plan Commission meeting lasted more than three hours.

The Aviation Department's request to transfer funds between balances was approved by the council, allowing $30,000 to be placed into the department's insurance account. The aviation's advertising and other services accounts will supply $15,000 each for the transfer.

The board also approved a personal property tax abatement for J & D Enterprises. The company is currently in its eighth year of a 10-year tax abatement and has added 15 more employees than originally estimated. City Planner Jeremy Skinner recommended the tax abatement.

In other matters, a letter to Chief of Police Steve Foster was recognized by the council. Gary, Kris and Cassie Harris thanked the Warsaw Police Department for allowing officer Terry "OP" Polston to travel to Seattle, Wash., to see Cassie, his old D.A.R.E. student. Cassie, who underwent brain surgery in September, greatly appreciated the visit from Polston.

The board also:

• Heard an announcement from Warsaw Community Development Corporation Director Carmen Lock on the groundbreaking of the Glover Pavilion over the stage at Central Park. The event is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. today.

"We appreciate the generosity of the Glover family," Mayor Ernie Wiggins said. "It will be a nice addition to Central Park."

• Recognized a report from the Warsaw Fire Department on August activity. The department totaled 36 incidents of rescue and assistance and 13 fires.

Present council members were Wiggins, Clemens, Joe Thallemer, Jerry Patterson, Charlie Smith, Bob Morrison, Bill Rhoades and Jeff Grose. [[In-content Ad]]