Present for the swearing in ceremony of Officer Phil Hawks were his brother, Landon Hawks; holding Officer Hawks daughter Abby; daughter Olivia, wife Becky, holding Owen; Officer Hawks holding son Gabriel, Jeff Grose, board member; Mayor Joe Thallemer; Charles Smith, board member; and Warsaw Fire Chief Scott Whitaker. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

There couldn’t have been a better way to end the last regular meeting of the year, of the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety, than to swear in a new police officer.

Phil Hawks, who has completed his probationary time, was sworn in as the newest Warsaw Police officer at the start of Friday morning’s meeting. Hawks family and a number of his law enforcement family were on hand for the ceremony.

Officer Phil Hawks takes the oath of office with son Gabriel from Mayor Joe Thallemer. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

Getting down to business, it was announced there will be a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29, to award bids on the first phase of the Market Street project. Bids will be opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23.

The remainder of the meeting dealt with final business of 2014. Approvals were given for:

• Taxi Cab Permits for Fast Cab/David Cesaretti and American Transportation OnTime, Inc., Kerry Clear, also known as Yellow Cab
• Purchase of a 2014 Bobcat Skid Loader, from Bobcat of Warsaw, costing $7,671.20 for wastewater utility.
• The clerk-treasuer’s office to pay Warsaw Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram/Warsaw Autoplex $29,762.87 for the 2015 Ram 2500 truck upon delivery from the wastewater utility department budget, allowing paperwork to be filed with the state to avoid penalties.
• A contract, for the payment of $6,300, to Center for Lakes and Streams at Grace College. This allows the Stormwater Utility to complete public education and public participation requirements for its permit with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
• Purchase of two roll-off trailers and two containers for trucking waste from Ruble Truck Sales at a cost not to exceed $71,302. The trailers and one container will be jointly used by the street department. There will be $15,000 taken from the street department budget towards the purchase.

Larry Plummer, parks department superintendent, presented a quote from Wildman Business Group for a two-year agreement in providing employee uniforms, shop towels, roll towels and rugs for rental facilities. The contract reflects the same pricing as the past two years.Presently the cost is $10,000 a year dependent upon the number of shop and roll towels used.

Warsaw/Wayne Fire Territory Chief Mike Brubaker explained a contract change order for G & G Hauling & Excavating, Inc., on the south fire station and contractor’s pay application. Brubaker explained there was an overall $16,045.75 decrease in the original $288,573 contract. This was due to a reduction in fill material needed despite additional excavating of unsuitable material.

Brubaker also stated in the request for payment to G&G, it reflects a 1.5 percent retainage amount. The contract calls for acceptable grass coverage, so until the winter grass seed mix grows the outcome is unknown. The amount approved for payment was $272,527.25 with $4,087.92 retained until spring.

Additional business included:

• Installation of two ADP gas unit heaters in the police garage at a cost of $4,745 from Quine Freeman. Warsaw.
• Approved a contract with Herman & Kittle, DBA Canterbury House Apartments to regulate traffic.
• Purchase a new jack hammer attachment from Bobcat of Warsaw at $9,484.83.
• Approved an agreement with Turner Valentine, LLP for 2015 legal services at  $42,000 for the year.
• Approved travel requests for Warsaw Police Department Officers: Allen Dank, Brad Kellar and Kip Shuter.
• Approved 2015 Wages and cell phone reimbursement amounts.