Pictured, from left, Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer, Board Member George Clemens and Board Member Jeff Grose discuss multiple agenda items during the Board of Works meeting.

WARSAW — With a full agenda, board members moved through multiple items during the Warsaw Board of Works meeting held this morning, Dec. 1.

The board approved all of the 2018 non-profit agreements. It was noted that the Beaman Home was the only new request this year. Board Member Jeff Grose also sits on the Warsaw Common Council board which reviewed and approved the agreements. “The common council was not unanimous in these amounts,” said Grose. “On this board I am deciding to support the majority of the council votes, which is to approve the numbers we are looking at.”

The requested and approved amounts are as follows:

• Animal Welfare League — requested and received $20,000
• The Beaman Home — requested $15,000 and received $5,000
• City-County Athletic Complex —  requested $31,000 and received $25,000.
• Housing Opportunities of Warsaw — requested and received $7,000
• KABS — requested and received $19,055 and a $10,000 capital improvement match
• Kosciusko Community Senior Services — requested $20,000 and received $17,500
• Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams — requested $20,000 and received $15,000
• Warsaw Housing Authority — requested and received $35,000
• Warsaw Community Development Corporation — requested and received up to $25,000 for the facade improvement program.

The board also opened and awarded the bid for additional sewer rehabilitation work. Due to the first bid of this project coming in so low, the project had extra funds available to complete additional work that was also noted as needing repaired. The bid was for rehabilitating an additional 9,200 feet of small diameter sewage pipes. Insituform Technologies, Chesterfield Mo., was awarded the project bid for $525,354.50. It was noted that this bid also came in much lower than expected.

A change order for the CR 300N project was presented by City Planner Jeremy Skinner. He explained that the change order in the amount of $230,000 exceeds the allowable 20 percent threshold for allowable changes by two percent.

Skinner further explained the additional funds resulted from unforeseen changes to the project due to some safety concerns. After the project was started, representatives from Ivy Tech approached the city regarding roadway markings and lighting on Silveus Crossing and Polk Drive. The decision was then made to add 29 additional streetlights, which resulted in also replacing the wiring. These changes resulted in the unforeseen expenses.

“We made the call that safety was more important to the students then trying to rebid out a project that was already out of construction,” said Skinner.

The board approved the change order and the pay application associated with the project.

In other news:

• One bid was opened from Graycraft Signs, Warsaw, in the amount of $356,390, for the technology park signs. The Redevelopment Commission will vote on the bid during the meeting on Monday, Dec. 4.
• The annual agreement with the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation for $55,000 and $5,000 for the Northeast Regional membership fee was approved.
• The annual agreements for the Kosciusko County Farmers Market, Special Events Coordinator and rental of a water cooler were approved.
• An amendment was approved for the MetroNet Phone Service agreement to add an additional phone line for $12.95 a month.
• Pay applications for the new fire station and the Husky Trail project were approved.
• A contract was approved to appoint Thomas Earhart as the 2018 code hearing officer.
• An HR agreement with Attorney Joseph Pettygrove was approved for duties related to employment law.
• The 2018 take home vehicle requests and wages by department were also approved by the board.