An agreement between the Warsaw Police Department (WPD) and Warsaw Community Schools (WCS) for a fifth school resource officer (SRO) was tabled by the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety Wednesday after some discrepancy was found in the figures.
Police Chief Scott Whitaker requested the authorization by the Board of Works to enter into a second agreement with WCS for a fifth SRO.
The agreement is for a period of eight years, with the school corporation paying $91,898.25 annually for the first four-year term. Whitaker said that annual sum would be paid quarterly in the amount of $28,187.06, with the first invoice being issued Nov. 1. After the initial four-year term, the payments would be adjusted annually based upon salary and benefits at that time, he said.
The initial four-year term begins Aug. 1.
The initial four-year term includes the equipment assigned to the officer for that period of eight years. Whitaker said the typical lifespan of the equipment is eight years.
Mayor Jeff Grose said he appreciated Whitaker’s efforts on the agreement, and that he was brought in on the discussions a few months ago.
“I will note for the board that we increased our budget to 43 officers for the purpose of adding and assigning this additional officer that Warsaw Schools has agreed to,” Whitaker said.
If approved, he said officer Kelly Bradley will be the SRO and she’ll be primarily assigned to the elementary schools within the Warsaw community.
Bradley, originally from Illinois and a Penn High School graduate, began her law enforcement career after working in loss prevention. Hired by the Warsaw Police Department in June 2018, she served in the Patrol Division and since then has aspired to become an SRO, according to a news release in May from WCS.
Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen noticed a discrepancy with the quarterly payments of $28,187.06 and the annual $91,898.25 that WCS was to pay for the SRO.
Whitaker said he was comfortable with the $91,898.25 figure in the inter-local agreement. “This amount would be the sum of 75%,” he said.
Four payments of $28,187.06 totals $112,748.24. The $91,898.25 to be paid by WCS is 81.5% of that amount, not 75%. The $91,898.25 divided into four payments would be $22,974.56.
The board tabled the agreement so Whitaker could check the figures during the rest of the meeting. He later requested the board table the agreement until their next meeting, July 19, which was done.
In other business, the board approved:
• Public Works Superintendent Dustin Dillon’s request to apply for the fall 2024 Community Crossings Matching Grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The project for the grant will be CR 300N, between Silveus Crossing and CR 200W. The engineering estimate for the project will be about $1,017,765, which would put the city’s contribution at about $508,882.50, if the grant is awarded.
• A road closure request by the Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club for the City of Lakes Car Show on Aug. 4, as presented by Charlie Wagner.
The closures would be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the car show taking place from 10 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m.
Roads to be closed include Buffalo Street between Market and Main streets; Indiana Street between Market and Main streets; and Center Street between High and Lake streets, according to the road closure request form.
• Approved a sewer fee waiver request for the homeowners at 199 E. CR 200N, Gary and Susan Simpson. They requested a two-month pause on their wastewater bill until NIPSCO completes a utility project in the front of their property, but the board granted three months, from July through September.
City Planner Justin Taylor said around 2019, the city extended a sewer line through that area. Typically, people had 90 days to connect or they’ll still get billed regardless of their connection status. The homeowners said they weren’t notified, and Taylor said the city believed that could have been the case when the sewer line went through.
A couple years later, the Simpsons were notified and billing began, but they are currently unable to attach because of NIPSCO’s project along that road.