Warsaw Board Of Works Approves Agreements, Pay Applications
March 21, 2020 at 12:21 a.m.
By Teresa [email protected]
Thallemer noted Gov. Eric Holcomb has initiated emergency measures for public meetings during this time, devoted to stopping the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The public is still welcome to attend, however, the mayor asked that anyone interested make use of the city’s livestreaming and recorded versions of the meetings.
“No one is discouraged to come to the meetings, if there’s a need to participate or follow the meetings,” he said. “The governor has suspended any meeting’s statutory flow requirement, for example, the aviation board meets once a month. It’s not required to meet that often now. Meetings can be cancelled it there’s no essential business. We’ll hold meetings for essential business.”
After closing out the agenda, the Board of Works approved a resolution to further suspend the rules and allow the mayor to approve all claims with a signature if the governor prohibits public meetings. If Thallemer is unavailable, Grose would approve claims. If Grose is unavailable, Clemens would sign claims.
In regular business, the board approved several Sands Office Equipment maintenance agreements: a one-year contract with the Warsaw–Wayne Fire Territory on a per-copy basis; mayor’s – human resources copier for $821 per year; parks and recreation, a one-year contract for $1,586; a five-year contract with the planning office for $1,290 per year; a five-year contract for the street department of $761.30 per year; a five year-contract with the maintenance collections office of $1,140 per year; and with the wastewater utility indicating a five-year contract amount of $4,544.60.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner presented several street-improvement related items, the first being an interlocal agreement with the Indiana Department of Transportation and the city for work on the railroad crossings on Hickory Street, which will begin soon. Hickory Street will be made one-way, both ways, off Center Street. The plans call for curbing, but Skinner said the railroad wants to re-engineer some of the curb design.
The board also approved pay application No. 4 for Phend and Brown of Milford for $132,305.62 for work at CR 300N and Shelden Road. The project is in the final stages of construction and should be completed this spring.
Pay application No. 10 submitted by the Troyer Group for preliminary engineering of the Lincoln neighborhood sidewalk project for bike and prerestrain facilities on Sheridan, East Clark and East Fort Wayne Streets between Colfax and Cook streets in the amount of $12,363 was approved. Warsaw Senior Planner Justin Taylor noted the city pays 100% of the invoice and the state will reimburse the city 80% of approved costs.
Wastewater Utility Superintendent Brian Davison presented several funding requests, which were approved, and included:
• Change order No. 4 as requested by Kokosing Industries to re-route the electrical feed for the plant expansion project in the amount of $98,005.
• An agreement with Bakertilly municipal advisors to provide biannual financial reports for the wastewater treatment utility in the amount of $14,200 and the storm water utility in the amount of $13,600.
• An agreement with Bakertilly to provide a cost analysis and revenue rate analysis for the storm water utility not to exceed $12,000. Christiansen said it’s been 10 years since the rates have changed.
• NV Grant Services will be paid $1,170 to ensure payrolls are being properly managed during the plant expansion project in accordance with the state revolving fund requirements.
• Kokosing Industries pay application No. 49 in the amount of $1,115,976 was approved, with Davison commenting that construction was moving along well.
“They’ve been struggling a little with out-of-town and out-of-area workers on site,” he said. “We’re monitoring those situations and definitely will stay on top of it. Everything is moving on schedule.”
Thallemer said he didn’t think about a worker shortage caused by the coronavirus restrictions causing an impact on construction.
“It’s a little bit of a problem and potentially could add some days to our construction,” Davison said. The work is to be substantially complete in October. December is the final completion date.
• Wessler Engineering submitted a $2,191 bill for engineering work during the plant expansion construction.
Davison added two things to the conversation, advising the public that the drinking water is safe.
“It’s not my area, but I’ve been asked to pass it on,” he said. “The disinfection system has been turned on early, we’re not required to start it until April 1.”
He also asked for everyone’s help in not flushing cleaning wipes, paper towels or tissues. Only toilet paper should be flushed. The other products clog the pumps and workers are then dispatched to clear the lines. He said all other paper products should be put in the trash.
“There’s no shortage of toilet paper,” Thallemer said. “There’s just a buying frenzy that’s made it unavailable. Something as silly sounding as this has a significant negative impact and has caused huge maintenance problems for our utility.”
Human Resource Director Jennifer Whitaker presented the most recent wage and hire report: new hire of Derek Singleton as a street employee equipment operator, full-time, paid $18.75 per hour; Jonathan Latsko, assistant city planner, full-time, paid $24.75 per hour; Mason Sumner, police department parking control, increase to $17 per hour; Travis Shipp, cemetery groundskeeper, increase to $17.86 per hour; Brian Zehring, promoted to fire department captain, pay increase to $2,294.20; wastewater utility employees Justin Creamer, Jason Henry and Tom Rozelle received additional certifications and pay increases, with Creamer’s pay raised to $20.28 per hour, Henry’s to $22.96 and Rozelle’s to $23.25.
WWFT Fire Chief Mike Wilson said the interlocal agreement between the city and county to apply for a communications grant can be disregarded as the county won’t be applying for the grant now. The grant awards were reduced to maybe $50,000, instead of much greater amounts originally publicized.
Thallemer noted Gov. Eric Holcomb has initiated emergency measures for public meetings during this time, devoted to stopping the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The public is still welcome to attend, however, the mayor asked that anyone interested make use of the city’s livestreaming and recorded versions of the meetings.
“No one is discouraged to come to the meetings, if there’s a need to participate or follow the meetings,” he said. “The governor has suspended any meeting’s statutory flow requirement, for example, the aviation board meets once a month. It’s not required to meet that often now. Meetings can be cancelled it there’s no essential business. We’ll hold meetings for essential business.”
After closing out the agenda, the Board of Works approved a resolution to further suspend the rules and allow the mayor to approve all claims with a signature if the governor prohibits public meetings. If Thallemer is unavailable, Grose would approve claims. If Grose is unavailable, Clemens would sign claims.
In regular business, the board approved several Sands Office Equipment maintenance agreements: a one-year contract with the Warsaw–Wayne Fire Territory on a per-copy basis; mayor’s – human resources copier for $821 per year; parks and recreation, a one-year contract for $1,586; a five-year contract with the planning office for $1,290 per year; a five-year contract for the street department of $761.30 per year; a five year-contract with the maintenance collections office of $1,140 per year; and with the wastewater utility indicating a five-year contract amount of $4,544.60.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner presented several street-improvement related items, the first being an interlocal agreement with the Indiana Department of Transportation and the city for work on the railroad crossings on Hickory Street, which will begin soon. Hickory Street will be made one-way, both ways, off Center Street. The plans call for curbing, but Skinner said the railroad wants to re-engineer some of the curb design.
The board also approved pay application No. 4 for Phend and Brown of Milford for $132,305.62 for work at CR 300N and Shelden Road. The project is in the final stages of construction and should be completed this spring.
Pay application No. 10 submitted by the Troyer Group for preliminary engineering of the Lincoln neighborhood sidewalk project for bike and prerestrain facilities on Sheridan, East Clark and East Fort Wayne Streets between Colfax and Cook streets in the amount of $12,363 was approved. Warsaw Senior Planner Justin Taylor noted the city pays 100% of the invoice and the state will reimburse the city 80% of approved costs.
Wastewater Utility Superintendent Brian Davison presented several funding requests, which were approved, and included:
• Change order No. 4 as requested by Kokosing Industries to re-route the electrical feed for the plant expansion project in the amount of $98,005.
• An agreement with Bakertilly municipal advisors to provide biannual financial reports for the wastewater treatment utility in the amount of $14,200 and the storm water utility in the amount of $13,600.
• An agreement with Bakertilly to provide a cost analysis and revenue rate analysis for the storm water utility not to exceed $12,000. Christiansen said it’s been 10 years since the rates have changed.
• NV Grant Services will be paid $1,170 to ensure payrolls are being properly managed during the plant expansion project in accordance with the state revolving fund requirements.
• Kokosing Industries pay application No. 49 in the amount of $1,115,976 was approved, with Davison commenting that construction was moving along well.
“They’ve been struggling a little with out-of-town and out-of-area workers on site,” he said. “We’re monitoring those situations and definitely will stay on top of it. Everything is moving on schedule.”
Thallemer said he didn’t think about a worker shortage caused by the coronavirus restrictions causing an impact on construction.
“It’s a little bit of a problem and potentially could add some days to our construction,” Davison said. The work is to be substantially complete in October. December is the final completion date.
• Wessler Engineering submitted a $2,191 bill for engineering work during the plant expansion construction.
Davison added two things to the conversation, advising the public that the drinking water is safe.
“It’s not my area, but I’ve been asked to pass it on,” he said. “The disinfection system has been turned on early, we’re not required to start it until April 1.”
He also asked for everyone’s help in not flushing cleaning wipes, paper towels or tissues. Only toilet paper should be flushed. The other products clog the pumps and workers are then dispatched to clear the lines. He said all other paper products should be put in the trash.
“There’s no shortage of toilet paper,” Thallemer said. “There’s just a buying frenzy that’s made it unavailable. Something as silly sounding as this has a significant negative impact and has caused huge maintenance problems for our utility.”
Human Resource Director Jennifer Whitaker presented the most recent wage and hire report: new hire of Derek Singleton as a street employee equipment operator, full-time, paid $18.75 per hour; Jonathan Latsko, assistant city planner, full-time, paid $24.75 per hour; Mason Sumner, police department parking control, increase to $17 per hour; Travis Shipp, cemetery groundskeeper, increase to $17.86 per hour; Brian Zehring, promoted to fire department captain, pay increase to $2,294.20; wastewater utility employees Justin Creamer, Jason Henry and Tom Rozelle received additional certifications and pay increases, with Creamer’s pay raised to $20.28 per hour, Henry’s to $22.96 and Rozelle’s to $23.25.
WWFT Fire Chief Mike Wilson said the interlocal agreement between the city and county to apply for a communications grant can be disregarded as the county won’t be applying for the grant now. The grant awards were reduced to maybe $50,000, instead of much greater amounts originally publicized.
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