Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Fire Chief Matt Warren attened the Board of Works meeting with a Good Samaritan Award he received from Parkview Hospital earlier Friday morning.
The department was nominated by Warren for its efforts to promote the "don't drink and drive" message to students in driver's education classes at Warsaw Community High School and during its biannual doc-u-drama, a county-wide mock disaster that involves 1,200 students from three area high schools. The awards recognize individuals who make important contributions in injury prevention and safety.
A check for $500 also was presented and will be applied to the department's smoke detector fund. Warren said as a result of his co-hosting a WRSW morning show this week and mentioning the smoke detector giveaway program, more than 50 smoke detectors were requested.
The construction permit for the city's second wastewater treatment plant was approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management recently, according to Brian Houghton of Jones & Henry Engineers.
Houghton told the board members notice to proceed on the project can be given to Indiana Construction Corp. and Construction Corp. Inc. to begin work at the site.
Apparently, IDEM was concerned with a plan to install a 42-inch pipe for out flow from the facility into the Tippecanoe River, which might produce a velocity disturbing the river's sediment. A 20 foot wide open ditch will be built instead.
The board also approved a construction fund payment to Jones & Henry in the amount of $15,073.83 and a quarterly escrow quarterly fee to Lake City Bank in the amount of $3,182.85.
In other business the board:
• Received a franchise check from Insight Midwest Holdings in the amount of $37,128.83, or 3 percent of the company's $1,237,627.69 gross revenue from last year.
• Approved installation of a monitoring well by Citadel Properties behind the Gas America business on park property. The two, two-inch, 15 foot deep wells should be installed in one day and be in place for about three years.
• Heard The K21 Foundation is extending a grant period regarding funds for the greenway project until April 23, 2003.Approved a contract with EMC for computer hardware support of police department computers in the amount of $3,043.92 annually
• Approved a deferred compensation plan for employees with American United Life Insurance Company. Board member Mayor Ernie Wiggins said informational meetings for employees are scheduled May 7 through 10.
• Approved a contract for prescription services with Claimspro Management Services as a third-party administrator.
• Approved Griffin Real Estate Services Inc. Fort Wayne, as appraiser for the city's fixed assets at a price of $6,500. The appraisal will update insurance valuations and include any fixed assets gained by the city since 1996.
• Approved Shirley Fetrow, fire department administrative assistant, as able to sign claim vouchers in Matt Warren's absence.
• Heard Patrolman Wayne Wilke has passed the first stage of probationary status and elevated to th second stage by Police Chief Steven Foster.
• Approved a copier service contract with Sands Office Equipment, Warsaw, in the amount of $4,428.75.
• Accept an easement agreement with Polk & Sons for the purpose of installing sewer lines. The property amounts to more than 8 acres.
• Approved a request by the building and planning department to increase a cellular telephone minutes from 650 per month to 1,000 per month.
• Approved an Indiana Department of Commerce grant in the amount of $300,000 to be applied toward
cleanup of the Gatke property
• Approved grant applications as requested by the police department in the amount of $4,000 for a second Operation Pullover grant and for a second school resource officer in the amount of $125,000 over three years.
Captain Paul Schmitt said the Warsaw School Corporation is requesting the second officer.
• New hires include: parks department - Jill Adang, Brent Mock, Karrin Ransbottom, Corban Quance, Aaron Quance and Joshua Denlinger; aviation -- David King; wastewater -- Mark Bamburg; and street department -- Robert Gonzalez, Richard Pierson, Mike Johnson, Grady Randall, Adam Sisson, Jacob Sweatland, Allen Stodeberger and
James Brown. * Approved travel requests for Paul Schmitt, Tony Polston and Brad Kellar.
Warsaw Board of Works members are Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith.
