WPD Rehires Ousted Officer
In a vote to approve cell phone allowances for city employees it was noted that Brad Kellar has returned to the Warsaw Police Department as a patrol officer.
Although there was no discussion on the hiring of Kellar at today’s meeting of the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety, it was the B.O.W. that, in November 2008, terminated the officer based on a recommendation from then police chief Perry Hunter. Hunter accused Kellar of violating department protocol but, due to personnel privacy issues, the allegations were never made public.
After his dismissal from WPD, Kellar went to the Winona Lake Police Department and finally the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department where he also resigned. His final day at KCSD was Monday, Dec. 31.
During the same period Kellar was terminated, Hunter was part of an investigation by Indiana State Police and federal authorities that dealt with the illegal sales of firearms. Although ISP completed their investigation and turned it over to Kosciusko County Prosecutor Dan Hampton, Hampton never filed charges.
Hunter ultimately resigned as police chief in December 2009. At least two other police officers also resigned during the investigation.
B.O.W. Approves Contracts
“The most difficult aspect of our job is a lack of information,” said Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker. “This will allow us to have that.”
During this morning’s meeting of the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety, Whitaker asked the city to approve an inter local agreement between Kosciusko County and the city of Warsaw with Sun Guard/OSSI Records Management System. The $30,000 agreement means all police agency records will be available and shared on one records management system.
Whitaker gave examples of how, in the past, records lacked details that were available to all officers. With the new system, for example, an officer responding to a call at a residence can now access records and know if police had been called to the home before and for what reason. The records system is also linked to agencies all across the nation to share information on individuals as well.
The city’s portion of the agreement is $30,000 and helps to pay for maintenance fees, annual fees and replacement costs if necessary.
In the absence of B.O.W. member Charlie Smith, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and B.O.W. member Jeff Grose approved the agreement.
Also approved during the B.O.W.’s first meeting of the new year, was a maintenance agreement for The Gardens of Central Park between the city and Anderson Property Management. Warsaw Parks Superintendent Larry Plummer said the agreement is for Anderson Property Management for the maintenance of 18 satellite flower beds and 23 urns in the park.
For a fee of $1,888.88 per month for 9 months, Anderson Property Management will bill the city under the agreement, and will in turn provide all materials, plants, fertilizers, insecticides and labor to maintain the flower beds and urns. The agreement between the city and Anderson Property Management has been in affect since 2001.
A Lake Associations agreement was also signed which will have the city paying $2,500 each to the Center Lake Preservation Association, the Pike Lake Preservation Association and the Winona Lake Preservation Association. Together, the associations work to enhance the well being of the lakes by performing weed control, fish stocking and lake studies.
In other business:
- The B.O.W. approved an employment agreement with independent code hearing officer Larry Clifford. Clifford serves as the hearing officer for any code violation and enforcement terms. Clifford is to be paid $900 for each hearing session and the city is obligated to schedule a minimum of six hearing sessions in the calendar year.
- It was noted that Wastewater Billing Office was notified of the sale of a property at 307 Eisenhower Parkway. The property had an unpaid balance of $179.30 which cannot be passed on to the new owners. The city is unable to locate the previous owner therefore the balance must be written off as a loss to the city.
- Contracts were signed to bring Charles Ray Jr. back to the Warsaw Parks Department to provide fly fishing classes. Beginnings and intermediate classes will be held May 18 and Sept. 21. Ray’s fee is $180 for all classes. The classes will require a fee for anyone registering.