Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
With the selection of a hauler Friday, the long-awaited Warsaw curbside recycling program came closer to fruition.
Warsaw Board of Works members approved the Packerton Landfill LLC/Ameri-Waste bid of $148,400 during their regular meeting.
The contract starts April 6 and ends Dec. 31, 2004, with the city providing storage "bins" to residents for recyclable materials.
Ameri-Waste services cost $7,420 per month for the 20-month contract. The city chose the "single-sort" option, meaning residents can put glass, plastic, aluminum, tin and paper in one container.
Other bidders for the same contract were: Stafford Waste Management, $265,072.50, and Waste Management, $307,680.
More details on the recycling program will be provided to citizens within the next couple of weeks. Containers will be provided prior to the April 6 start date. Collection will be every other week on "trash day."
The board also approved a sewage interceptor project bid from Woodruff and Sons, Michigan City, in the amount of $2.3 million.
Brian Houghton, of Jones & Henry Engineers, recommended the company, which presented the lowest bid for the project in December. Other bidders were: HRP Construction, $3.3 million; Diechman Excavating, $3.9 million; Phend and Brown, $4.2 million; Geiger Excavating, $3.7 million; and Nibloc Excavating, $2.6 million.
More than 18,000 feet of new pipe will be laid for wastewater collection - "everything from 27-inch to 8-inch line," Houghton said.
In conjunction with the interceptor project, Shiva Hospitality Corp. granted the city rights to ground along the Beyer-Brady ditch, another in a long series of agreements the city has approved over the last few months.
The greenway project also moved ahead with two easement agreements and one warranty deed approved.
The easement agreements were between the city and Forest and Kathryn Bouse and the Kosciusko County Historical Society.
Tom and Sandra Groninger donated a small triangular, land-locked piece of ground in Shull's third addition.
In other business, the board:
• Renewed the Fast Cab taxi service permit. The item was tabled twice pending research by city attorney Mike Valentine, who thought the liability insurance coverage was too low. However, city ordinance sets the limit at $100,000, an amount Fast Cab owner David Cessaretti certified.
• Heard from police chief Steve Foster that Patrolman Randal Hart is leaving the service after nearly 11 years.
• Signed an updated engineering service agreement with Jones & Henry Engineers.
The engineers are to provide written responses to several items requested by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, services not to exceed $140,000.
• Approved a contract for services with LandPlan Group, landscape architects, of $24,500.
• Approved several contracts as requested by parks activities director Janelle Wilson: with GBC Media (WRSW radio station) to advertise the April 12 Easter Egg hunt; with David Hilliker, representing The Bill Boris/David Hilliker connection, to perform June 13 for $650; with Marlene Lobsiger, representing The Music Express, to perform June 27 for $450; with Paul Thode, representing the Elwood Splinters, to provide entertainment as the blues concert's opening band July 12 for $900; with John Baker, representing Rural Route, to perform July 25 as the county music concert opening band for $400.
• Hired Marsha McSherry as director of collections at the biweekly rate of $1,346.15. McSherry replaces Jane Edmonds, who retired from the sewage collections office last month.
A consulting contract with Edmonds was approved at a rate of $70 per hour from March 17 to April 4 on an "as-needed" basis.
Board of Works members are Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith.
