As approved by the city council a couple of months ago, the Warsaw Board of Works approved a 3 percent pay increase for employees Friday - after certain changes were made.

Two increases for the clerk's office were cut back to 3 percent from 4.5 percent and the salary of the new city planner, Jeremy Skinner, will not increase 3 percent next year.

The board heard the recycling budget is nearly $28,000 short. Contractor Waste Management will continue to collect the city's curbside recycling bins, however, their prices increased to $118,800 per year and only $89,000 was budgeted. Clerk Elaine Call said an additional appropriation will have to be approved by the city council. Recycling materials collection will be every other week in 2005 instead of the second and fourth weeks of each month.

Other bids awarded were to Rock Industries for limestone; Kuert Concrete for ready mix concrete and flowable back material; Phend and Brown for bituminous material and concrete for curbs and flatwork.

A four-year contract with Packerton Land Co. for landfill services also was approved.

The board also:

• Opened bids for dump trucks from Erick's Chevrolet, Kokomo, and Hill Truck Sales Inc., South Bend.

• Heard the Warsaw Police Department has been awarded two grants through the Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education in the amount of $7,134 to purchase two patrol video units and for $2,000 for the WPD's DARE program.

• Approved two payments to Woodward and Sons for the northeast interceptor sewer project in the amounts of $146,968.88 and $91,640.76.

Wastewater treatment plant superintendent Dave Henderson said the project is nearly complete with landscaping to complete and a generator's operation to finalize.

• Approved a very tardy bill from Jones and Henry Operating Services for personnel charges from November 2003. Costs were given as $13,222.26, nearly $10,000 more than estimated for contract work during that period.

• Approved a "write-off" of $200.90 for sewage collection at 818 E. Fort Wayne St., as submitted by Marsha A. McSherry, sewage collection department director.

• Approved a grant application for for improvements to the parks department's Mantis Skate Park, as requested by activities director Janelle Wilson. Wilson said the total amount will be determined when costs are decided. The grant deadline is in February.

• Approved a contract between the city and county for road maintenance, specifically snow removal and ice control. The two governments cooperate annually with the city plowing some bordering county roads and the county plowing some city streets.

The county highway will maintain CR 300N, west of CR 150W; CR 200S, west of County Farm Road; Old Road 30E to U.S. 30; Kosciusko Drive from Old Road 30E to Center Street; CR 175E, north of Kosciusko Drive; Cheyenne Drive from city limits south of Old Road 30E; CR 225E from the city limits south to Old Road 30E; and Pontiac Drive from the city limits west to CR 225E.

The city will provide snow and ice control for CR 300N from CR 150W to Ind. 15; County Farm Road from city limits to CR 200S; Husky Trail/CR 100E from the city limits to CR 200N; Center Street-extended from city limits to CR 175E; Warren Street to south of Old Road 30; Hepler Drive to south of Old Road 30W; Greenhill Drive from the city limits to Hepler Drive; Tippecanoe Drive from the city limits to Hepler Drive; CR 75N from city limits to CR 175E; CR 150W from city limits south to Fox Farm Road; Anchorage Road from Ind. 15 to Husky Trail; and Sharon Street, Nye Street and Cambridge Drive between Green Hill Drive and Tippecanoe Drive.

• Approved a number of annual contracts including: an agreement with the volunteer fire department in the amount of $25,000; with Wayne Township for the township to pay $49,725 for parks and recreation for Wayne Township residents; with Warsaw Housing Authority for $25,000; with Kosciusko Development Inc. for $2,500; with Kosciusko Area Bus Service for $18,500; with the City-County Athletic Complex for $34,000; with Fred Heady, a disabled police officer, the amount of $24,746.40 plus family medical insurance coverage at a cost of $15 per month; with KEMRAD for $5,000; with Frauhiger Realty for $6,360 to lease the Victims Assistance office space; with Pro Air for equipment service in the amount of $610 as requested by the WPD; and for animal control by the Animal Welfare League in the amount of $7,725.

Approved 10 new hires: Jeremy Skinner as city planner; Ashley Justice as part-time clerk in the building and planning department; Scott Whitaker as a WPD probationary detective; Michael Gibson, Jonah Jeffery, Shawn Minglin, C. Max Schultz, Thomas Summy and Joshua Volkert as part-time employees for the street department; and Duane Ronk foreman for the cemetery department.

Warsaw board of works members are Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith. [[In-content Ad]]