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An agreement with WorkOne approved by the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety on Friday will allow a young man to gain work experience through the city.
It’s the first of such agreements between the city and WorkOne.
In presenting the agreement to the board, Warsaw Human Resources Director Denny Harlan said, “This is a pretty unique opportunity that was brought to us and we’d like to partner with WorkOne on.”
He said the agreement was for a work experience.
“It’s a paid short-term opportunity designed to give youth hands-on experience in a specific career field,” Harlan said. “It helps them build skills, explore interests and prepare for future employment. It is targeted for youth ages 16 to 24.”
He said WorkOne assigns the young person to the city and the city takes them in as mentors, showing them what it’s like to do whatever position they’re working in.
For this agreement, it states the youth is Andrew Contreras and he will work as a laborer for 20 hours a week at $16 per hour from Jan. 28 to May 8. Harlan said he will be working with the street department on refuse routes.
“So he will come in, work half days, 20 hours a week for 10 weeks. Everything is through WorkOne and Pro Resources Staffing (Services) is the one that takes care of their contract, so this does not cost the city anything. We don’t pay any wages. All of their benefits and work comp is paid through contract with Pro Resources. So pretty much all we’re doing is providing the place where they can come and get that experience with a mentor who does that job every day. At the end of the program, we give them feedback - if you did good, we’re going to let you know you did good. If you’ve got areas to work on, we’re going to help you learn where those areas are,” Harlan said.
If they’re really good workers, and the city has a position available, Harlan said the city could hire them on full time.
“It’s a win-win all around for everybody,” he stated.
While Friday’s agreement was for Contreras at the street department, Harlan said they have another young man who wants to shadow the parks department.
Councilwoman Diane Quance asked if the labor laws still apply, such as restrictions on operating machinery.
While Harlan said yes, he also said, “A lot of those youth laws have changed, so a lot of the equipment they can use now at 16 years old. But as far as driving and that type of equipment, we’re not going to allow that just because the liability insurance would be a little wonky there.”
Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen asked if the city takes on another youth through the program, would Harlan bring another agreement back before the board. Harlan said they will do separate agreements for each individual.
Board member George Clemens said he used to be on the WorkOne board representing the county. He said it was a great idea and he didn’t remember it being an opportunity in the past.
Harlan said the opportunity was brought to the city through the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) out of the high school. “They’re the ones who brought the opportunity to us and I took it to the department heads to get their input and they all were on board, thinking it was a good idea to provide some mentorship to some of the youth here in the city,” he said.
Mayor Jeff Grose and city attorney Scott Reust both spoke favorably about the program. Clemens made the motion to approve the agreement, Quance seconded it and the motion passed 3-0.
Warsaw Community and Economic Development Director Jeremy Skinner presented pay application no. 7 from Robinson Construction for $729,455.57 for the public works facility project on West Center Street.
“We’re about a little over $4 million into the project. If you haven’t been out there, you see a lot of concrete sticking up out of the ground. A lot of steel on-site, so, hopefully, in the next couple months we’ll start seeing that steel go up,” he said. “This was a bond, obviously, so this bond payment to the Redevelopment Authority gave the Board of Works the authority to approve these pay applications.”
He said he and city engineer Aaron Ott reviewed it and they recommend its approval.
Grose said they’re about $4 million into the project and there’s a remaining balance of about $9.3 million.
The Board of Works unanimously approved the pay application.
Harlan presented the annual take-home vehicle requests, for 2026. Other than the mayor, who is allowed personal miles, employee use of a city-owned work vehicle is to be driven to work and back home only.
“It’s the annual permission to use take-home vehicles for department heads and those that come in on emergency calls,” Harlan stated.
City employees with take-home vehicles include Larry Plummer and Shaun Gardner, parks department; Dustin Dillon, Joe Vetor, Damian Pass, Keith Arnold, Justin Ousley, street department; and Grose.
In other business:
• Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Larry Plummer, on behalf of Recreation Director Stephanie Schaefer, presented a request for the board to accept a $7,000 grant awarded from the Richard, Evelyn and Jane Glover Charitable Endowment at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, which the board did. The funds will support the 2026 Summer Concert Series.
• The board approved a $37,500 contract with Entertainment Resource Group LLC for a national country artist to perform a concert at Glover Pavilion July 17, as presented by Plummer. It is the concert to raise money for St. Jude Hospital. The cost is $2,500 less than 2025’s artist.
They also approved a $35,500 contract with Entertainment Resource Group LLC for a national rock artist to perform a concert at the Glover Pavilion on June 19. It is the concert to raise money for Riley Children’s Hospital. The cost is $2,500 less than 2025’s artist.
Artists for both concerts will be unveiled on April 1.
• The board approved a revised subrecipient agreement between the city and Fellowship Missions Inc. regarding the Community Development Block Grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), as presented by City Planner Justin Taylor. It relates to the demolition of the Jomac property at 1624 E. Winona Ave.
A similar agreement was approved about nine months ago, Taylor said, but OCRA wanted the updated agreement approved.
• Warsaw Assistant City Planner Leah Parker presented an encroachment agreement between Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 210 S. High St., and the city for a church-owned sign to encroach into the public right-of-way.
She said the existing wall-mounted sign is inadequate for marketing purposes and, due to the parcel’s size, compliance with the monument sign placement requirements would create a practical hardship. The agreement permits the sign’s encroachment while otherwise it’s in compliance with the municipal code requirements, she said.
The agreement indemnifies the city for any harm done to the sign or injury to persons relating to or arising in connection with the structure being located on the public right-of-way.
The board approved the agreement. Reust said they should make sure the agreement gets recorded with the county recorder’s office.
• Harlan and the board recognized Rebecca Jenkins, clerk-treasurer’s office, for her 15 years of service to the city.
Grose said, “Rebecca’s behind-the-scenes services are top notch.”
Quance said, “She treats every customer with compassion.”
• Harlan presented three travel requests, which the board approved. Those were for Kevin Kyle, Warsaw Police Department, to attend the Indiana Drug Enforcement Association Conference in Indianapolis Feb. 18-20 for $901; and Harlan and Montana Gardner, human resources, to attend the Indiana Chamber Human Resources Conference in Indianapolis April 27-30 for $1,804.74 and $1,759.94, respectively.
• Grose gave Ken Locke the oath of office for another term on the Oakwood Cemetery Board.
• After the meeting, Grose recognized city engineer Aaron Ott as Friday was his last day with the city. He’s returning to work in the private sector.
