Warsaw Wayne Fire Territory Firefighter Travis Rowland, left, explaining the new rescue equipment. Tim Grant, regional sales representative with Genesis Rescue Systems is on the right.

WARSAW — New extrication equipment and an opportunity to match dollar for dollar on street improvements were presented to the Warsaw Common Council Monday, July 18.

Firefighter Brent Fifer shows Joe Streeter, WWFT board member, the small cutter, while Travis Rowland speaks with Jeff Grose in back.

Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Chief Mike Wilson presented the new equipment, part of the department’s heavy duty rescue improvements for the year. Firefighter Travis Rowland briefly explained the equipment with more details being presented by Tim Grant, Genesis Rescue Systems regional sales representative.

The new rescue equipment, which went into service following the meeting, includes two cutters, two spreaders and a pedal cutter. “This is a significant upgrade,” said Grant. The new equipment is manufactured to quickly cut through the new metal used in manufacturing vehicles.

Grant explained the advantages of the battery operated tools over the current hydraulic equipment, which is attached to hoses and a generator for operation.

A closer look at the tools was made available following the meeting. Rowland was assisted by other members of the fire department’s equipment committee, some of whom are second and third generation firefighters.

Dollar For Dollar

Jeff Beeler, public works superintendent, gave a brief presentation on a 74-page Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating study, required to request funds from the Local Road and Bridge Matching Grant Fund. The fund, which is a 50/50 matching grant, was established by general assembly this year.

The council gave a consensus to send a letter to INDOT committing $723,000 for a matching grant. The funds, received from wheel tax, local road and street, and motor vehicle highway and local option income tax funds, would be placed in a restricted fund accounts. Additional appropriations would be requested at a later date to use the funds.

The report rated every city street from worst to best. Beeler stated the practice of repaving streets through milling was the gold standard. “We cannot afford to do this any longer,” Beeler said. The new standard is preventative work. He referenced the spending of thousands of dollars over 30 years in preventative work rather than hundreds of thousands of dollars every 10 years repaving streets.

The streets were rated by lane miles. Using Center Street as an example, Beeler stated one mile of Center Street would consist of 3 lane miles, due to the width of the street.

Beeler stated 2.52 lane miles received the lowest rating with 4.56 lane miles at the 2 rating, 23.94 lane miles at a 3 and 40.56 lane miles at a 4 rating. He estimates it would cost $9 million to repair those streets. The study also showed 37 lane miles at a rating of 5; 32 lane miles at 6, 13 lane miles at a 7, 8 or 9 rating and 3.86 lane miles at a 10. It is estimated preventative maintenance on these streets would cost $1,569.740. The city has 90 miles of roadway or roughly 200 lane miles, excluding alleys.

The goal of the matching funds is to keep the good roads good and the bad ones save to repair at the end. “In the past we have taken the general maintenance approach and failed. We cannot continue.”

Beeler stated the plans are to use the matching grant if received, for 106 lane miles of work including the Main Street project already budgeted. The grant funds would then free up money for additional work. “We would be squeezing more money to go further,” said Beeler.

Council members requested a list be provided on the projects anticipated.

During other business, the council approved two resolution waiving the non-compliance of tax abatement deduction flings for Whimet and Milestone Technologies.