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The Warsaw Board of Works Friday voted to reject all bids for rentals and cleaning of uniforms, floor mats and other shop supplies for all the city's departments.
Instead, each department head will have the discretion to go with the company that best suits their needs. The companies making bids included Aramark and Cintas, both of Fort Wayne, and Wildman Uniforms, Warsaw.
Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins said he and human resources manager Jennifer Whitaker concluded there were too many variables in the bids and they could not compare one company to another. The city's departments also have different wants and needs. Each of the companies conducts their business differently. Wiggins recommended all the bids be rejected.
After reviewing all the information, BOW member Jerry Patterson said, "That was exactly my thought, too."
Charlie Smith, BOW member, thanked the companies for their time and presentations.
Since Warsaw has no city planner at this time, the BOW approved an agreement with Scearce Rudisel Architects Inc. for architectural design services on an as-needed basis. Services provided will be on a per-hour rate, with a rate schedule provided. For example, consulting will be $95 per hour.
An agreement with USInfrastructure-Indiana also was approved. The company will provide engineering services for the Argonne Road/Parker Street Corridor project, which includes Jefferson Street to Center Street to Dubois Drive and U.S. 30.
Wiggins said the city has been sitting on transportation grant money. The contract with USInfrastructure will help get the project started, but due to the budget crunch, the project will be "segmented." For this year, the city has $50,000 but that should be enough to get it started, including a survey and a traffic count.
"They only do what we authorize," said Wiggins.
There will be some challenges with the project, but the project is sorely needed, he said.
Also needed is for Warsaw residents to put their leaves on top of the curbs, not into the city streets where they will be blown around.
"Get them in the tree lawn," said Wiggins, "and we'll come by and get them picked up."
Leaves in the streets can cause water drains to be blocked and other water problems.
In other business, the Warsaw Board of Works:
• Tabled until 6:45 p.m. Oct. 18 a decision on financing a new fire department truck and refurbishing another. If a decision is made before Nov. 5, Warsaw can receive a discount of approximately $22,000 from Pierce Manufacturing Inc., Appleton, Wis., according to Tim Holmes, Public Financing.
• Approved a $2,500 Safety Neighborhood Heroes Grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation for the Warsaw Police Department. WPD will apply the money toward the purchase of a Mobile Vision In-Car Camera, which costs $3,764. The additional cost of the equipment, $1,264, will come from the police equipment account.
• Approved $10,000 in grants from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute for the police department for the 2004-05 Operation Pull-Over program.
• Approved an easement agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hight, Fairlane Drive, who already approved the agreement.
• Approved writing off $401.65 in sewage collection fees for the property at 2016 E. Market St., Warsaw. The property's water has been shut off and has been vacant for the period in question.
• Heard the Halloween Spooktacular in downtown Warsaw will be Oct. 29. Several streets will be closed for the event.
Board of Works members are Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, Charlie Smith and Jerry Patterson. Their next regular meeting is Nov. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at City Hall.
