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NORTH WEBSTER - Next month will be a busy one for the North Webster Town Council because much of Wednesday night's business was tabled.
The council opened bids for trash, street repair and a police car, tabling all but the latter.
The trash bids came from Waste Management of Warsaw for $8.35 per household per month; Sweetheimer Trash Removal, Pierceton, $6.50 per month; National Serv-All, $5.71 per month; and Borden Waste-Away Service, Elkhart, $4.77 per month.
"It looks at first glance like Borden is the best bid, but we will have to analyze it," said council president Myron Clark. In addition to the per month cost, each bidder provided various other options, including recycling, and some have inflationary figures built into the three-year contract bids.
Also tabled were bids for repairing two blocks of South Street. Phend & Brown offered to do the job for $66,201.75 and Cripe Excavating for $72,720.80.
The council asked public works superintendent Marshall Minnick to review the bids and, perhaps, shave the project into just one block because the cost as submitted would use up the entire street repair budget for the year.
"We can't blow the whole budget on one project and ignore the other streets in town," Clark said.
Minnick also was asked to seek bids for chipping and sealing various other streets in town which need attention.
The council did act on bids for selling the old police car, accepting that of $600 from Beverly J. Hathaway of Warsaw. The only other bid received was for $500 from Darrell Sopher of North Webster.
A request from Marshal Jerry Craig to have lightning protection installed at the radio tower and base was tabled because of what the council felt were exorbitant labor fees. Craig was instructed to question the $380 installation fee quoted by J&K Communications, Columbia City.
Sort of tabled was a decision on replacing the heating and air conditioning unit at the sewer plant.
The council agreed that the unit must be replaced immediately because the lab/testing facility needs to be kept at a constant 70 degrees. However, only one bid was obtained and the council would like to see if a lesser cost is possible. Minnick is to get at least two more bids and is authorized to act on the lowest.
In other matters, the council:
• Announced the town received approval for its Indiana Department of Commerce grant for ground cover for the park playground. The 1,813 shredded tires will be spread under playground equipment and a sign will be posted at the park telling the number of recycled tires used. The amount of the grant is $1,188.
• Approved paying all but $12,000 of the money owed to Phend & Brown for work at the senior citizen housing project. The amount retained will be paid after the yards are seeded. The combined cost of claims paid was $75,557.98.
• Approved final payments of $18,500 for R.P. Murphy & Associates for work done throughout the senior citizen housing project.
The date of the next meeting was changed because of a conflict with a State Board of Accounts school. The council will next meet at 7 p.m. June 9 in the town hall.
