Parks Department Looking To Get Summer Schedule On Track

June 6, 2020 at 1:01 a.m.

By Teresa [email protected]

Warsaw Parks and Recreation activities are getting a slow and steady reboot as staff members balance state-mandated social distancing requirements, because of the coronavirus pandemic, with their summertime  schedule of concerts and programs.

Board of Works members Mayor Joe Thallemer, Jeff Grose and George Clemens heard from Parks Recreation Director Sheila Wieringa that a blues concert is scheduled in Central Park Plaza featuring Blues DeVille. The board approved a $1,000 contract for the group to perform July 10.

“As long as things move in the right direction,” Wieringa said, meaning the governor approves large audience gatherings in July.

She also mentioned when contracts with other entertainers were cancelled earlier this year, everyone was gracious enough not to enact the penalty clause because they couldn’t reschedule. She said future contracts will have a pandemic clause included in the negotiation.

She said social distancing will be maintained and explained to concert-goers as they arrive.

“The exact plans haven’t been worked out, but will be explained to people,” she said.

The family carnival is set for July 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. and also will have a new format with the emphasis on the Penguin Point Big Wheel Race rather than the usual multi-touched bounce houses and other inflatables.

Mason Geiger Photography and Film will stream the Big Wheel Race live and project it on a big screen for a contracted amount of $550.

She said body painters will use a plexiglass screen with a hole the children can put an arm through. The arm will receive paint or a glitter tattoo.

Heather Widner’s contract to teach painting classes for $150 per live video, not to exceed $1,200 also was approved.

Wayne Township residents can sign up and pay for adult- or kid-oriented paintings. Class kits will be delivered. Classes are on Wednesday for children; on Thursday for adults.

In other business, the board:

• Approved Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker’s request to get quotes on two Ford police interceptor utility vehicles. The police department’s 2020 budget supports the purchases.

•  Signed a memorandum of understanding with the county to pay for COVID-19 tests. The county will provide $200,000 with $100,000 added from the city. The money will come from both units’ share of the CARES Act allocations. Thallemer commented that  the testing program began Wednesday.

• Assistant to the mayor Staci Young presented a license agreement with Archive Social Inc. to provide social media archiving services for the city, which was approved.

Costs for the service are $4,788.

Young also recommended a license agreement with Malwarebytes to combat cyber attacks and breaches. She said the company has already provided services to great effect.

Cost of the contract is $12,596.67 with funds coming from several departments.

• Senior Planner Justin Taylor presented several items which were approved by the board:

– An encroachment agreement with Urban Retrend to have outdoor dining space on the west end of the alley at 114 S. Buffalo St. Urban Retrend has provided this space since 2016 and this agreement extends the privilege until November 2021.

The area will close by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

–  Two pay applications from Structurepoint for preliminary engineering in the amounts of $6,162.52 and $3,241.54  for the Anchorage Road project. The project is an 80/20 Indiana Department of Transportation-funded project.

– A pay application of $401.964.22 from HRP Construction for work on the Airport Industrial Park Project.

 – A pay application from the Troyer Group for preliminary engineering of the Lincoln Elementary School neighborhood sidewalk project in the amount of $8,383.78. This project also shares funding with INDOT in an 80/20 partnership.

As the new hire report was presented by Human Resources Director Jennifer Whitaker, Thallemer announced that street department employee Dustin Dillon has been hired as the new street department superintendent, replacing Jeff Beeler, who recently resigned. Dillon’s pay will increase to $2,525.23 biweekly.

New hires include patrol officer Lucas Vanderhart, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,040.20 biweekly; Ross Minear, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,218.49 biweekly; and Kelly Bradley, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,020.39 biweekly.

Warsaw Parks and Recreation activities are getting a slow and steady reboot as staff members balance state-mandated social distancing requirements, because of the coronavirus pandemic, with their summertime  schedule of concerts and programs.

Board of Works members Mayor Joe Thallemer, Jeff Grose and George Clemens heard from Parks Recreation Director Sheila Wieringa that a blues concert is scheduled in Central Park Plaza featuring Blues DeVille. The board approved a $1,000 contract for the group to perform July 10.

“As long as things move in the right direction,” Wieringa said, meaning the governor approves large audience gatherings in July.

She also mentioned when contracts with other entertainers were cancelled earlier this year, everyone was gracious enough not to enact the penalty clause because they couldn’t reschedule. She said future contracts will have a pandemic clause included in the negotiation.

She said social distancing will be maintained and explained to concert-goers as they arrive.

“The exact plans haven’t been worked out, but will be explained to people,” she said.

The family carnival is set for July 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. and also will have a new format with the emphasis on the Penguin Point Big Wheel Race rather than the usual multi-touched bounce houses and other inflatables.

Mason Geiger Photography and Film will stream the Big Wheel Race live and project it on a big screen for a contracted amount of $550.

She said body painters will use a plexiglass screen with a hole the children can put an arm through. The arm will receive paint or a glitter tattoo.

Heather Widner’s contract to teach painting classes for $150 per live video, not to exceed $1,200 also was approved.

Wayne Township residents can sign up and pay for adult- or kid-oriented paintings. Class kits will be delivered. Classes are on Wednesday for children; on Thursday for adults.

In other business, the board:

• Approved Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker’s request to get quotes on two Ford police interceptor utility vehicles. The police department’s 2020 budget supports the purchases.

•  Signed a memorandum of understanding with the county to pay for COVID-19 tests. The county will provide $200,000 with $100,000 added from the city. The money will come from both units’ share of the CARES Act allocations. Thallemer commented that  the testing program began Wednesday.

• Assistant to the mayor Staci Young presented a license agreement with Archive Social Inc. to provide social media archiving services for the city, which was approved.

Costs for the service are $4,788.

Young also recommended a license agreement with Malwarebytes to combat cyber attacks and breaches. She said the company has already provided services to great effect.

Cost of the contract is $12,596.67 with funds coming from several departments.

• Senior Planner Justin Taylor presented several items which were approved by the board:

– An encroachment agreement with Urban Retrend to have outdoor dining space on the west end of the alley at 114 S. Buffalo St. Urban Retrend has provided this space since 2016 and this agreement extends the privilege until November 2021.

The area will close by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

–  Two pay applications from Structurepoint for preliminary engineering in the amounts of $6,162.52 and $3,241.54  for the Anchorage Road project. The project is an 80/20 Indiana Department of Transportation-funded project.

– A pay application of $401.964.22 from HRP Construction for work on the Airport Industrial Park Project.

 – A pay application from the Troyer Group for preliminary engineering of the Lincoln Elementary School neighborhood sidewalk project in the amount of $8,383.78. This project also shares funding with INDOT in an 80/20 partnership.

As the new hire report was presented by Human Resources Director Jennifer Whitaker, Thallemer announced that street department employee Dustin Dillon has been hired as the new street department superintendent, replacing Jeff Beeler, who recently resigned. Dillon’s pay will increase to $2,525.23 biweekly.

New hires include patrol officer Lucas Vanderhart, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,040.20 biweekly; Ross Minear, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,218.49 biweekly; and Kelly Bradley, full-time WPD patrol officer, $2,020.39 biweekly.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

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