Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - Wessler and Associates request for an additional $10,355 for infrastructure inspection work was denied by the town council Tuesday.
"If they had done their homework on the front end, we wouldn't have had so many charges on the back end," said public works superintendent Pete O'Connell.
Town coordinator Craig Allebach said the Indianapolis engineering firm wanted to make the contract amendment because the company allowed for just four months of work.
Other contractors involved in the sanitary sewer/storm drain rehabilitation project allowed six months for the project.
"Their change orders came because certain things were not identified and others were not properly identified," O'Connell said, referring to Wessler's attempts to replace new (four-year-old) manholes and missing major problems. "They scheduled linings in pipes that went from 8 inches to 6 inches to 8 inches. If they had filmed it first, we would have fixed it. It needed done but we didn't know that ahead of time.
"There were three brand new manholes they were going to redo. That tells me they didn't visually inspect them like they were supposed to do."
Allebach recommended the town and Grace College enter into an Indiana Department of Environmental Management volunteer remediation program to clean up the Gatke dump site, because grant applications for the cleanup have been denied.
He said IDEM personnel and supervision will come with a cost, and an agreement with the state agency is under review.
Councilman Rolly Ortega presented a community assessment conducted as a school project by Bethel College nursing students.
Ortega said the students found 14 community strengths and three weaknesses, the latter pertaining to conditions on Winona Lake. Referring to a stuffed 8-inch folder, he suggested the information be compressed and posted on the town's Web site.
In other business. the council:
• Set into ordinance rental fees for kayaks as $10 per hour or $30 per day and canoes for $7 per hour or $20 per day, based on availability.
• Gave upcoming events in town as: Grace College graduation in Lancer Gym, Saturday, 9 a.m.; WCHS Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble, Artisan Court, Saturday, 1 p.m.; 2003 Healthfest 5K Run/Walk, Rodeheaver Auditorium, May 10, 8 a.m.; Sailboat Regatta on Winona Lake, May 17 and 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Scottish Rite Bagpipes and Drums, Artisan Court, May 17, 1 p.m.; Guitar Woodies, Artisan Court, May 24, 1 p.m.; Sax Maniacs, Artisan Court May 31, 1 p.m.; Village at Winona Art Fair, June 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Fourth of July Celebration, in the park, July 5.
Town council members are David Delp, Jeff Carroll, Jerry Clevenger and Rolly Ortega. Craig Snow was absent.
