Multiple Departments Excited About City’s New GIS Integrated Asset Management System
WARSAW — For the past two years, members of the Department of Public Works have been researching and demoing various asset management systems to streamline work efficiency. During the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting held this morning, Feb. 2, a system was approved for purchase.
The new system, Elements XS, has the opportunity to be used by all departments within the city. The main advantages of the program include unlimited program users, job specific tailored workspaces, ability to quickly recover historical data, inventory management and more.
Jeff Beeler, public works superintendent, summarized the benefits by saying it provides “time savings and budget savings in the future.”
Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer also expressed excitement about the new program. “You’ve got all this information at your fingertips in the field,” he said. “Each department can utilize this in a different fashion.”
The start up fees for the program will cost the city $78,000 with $25,000 in maintenance fees being charged annually moving forward. Beeler estimated the system would take about six months to get up and running.
Bids were opened for one of the Community Crossings Grant projects, the reconstruction of Clark and Colfax streets. The expected estimate of the project was $522,000 but all three bids came in high.
Niblock Excavating & Asphalt, Bristol, provided a bid of $720,809; Phend & Brown, Milford, provided a bid of $744,441; and Rieth-Riley Construction, Goshen, provided a bid of $842,470.64. All the bids were taken under advisement and the project will be awarded at the next meeting on Feb. 16.
The Parks Department presented contacts for eight concerts of the Central Park Concert Series. These are funded through a combination of grants and donations. All contracts were approved. An agreement was also approved with Lakeview Middle School for an alternate location due to weather. The concerts included:
- Blues DeVille performing blues music on July 6.
- Cari Ray performing bluegrass/country music on June 22.
- Cornfield Mafia performing country music on May 25, in conjunction with the Lakes Festival.
- Jared Knox performing country music on Aug. 17.
- Kevin Purcell & The Nightburners performing blues/rock music on June 1.
- The Jet Beats performing British Rock on June 22.
- The Lemon Brothers performing modern and classic rock on July 27.
- Top Secret Band performing rock on Aug. 10.
- The Whistle Pigs performing big band music on July 13.
In other news:
- Various road closures were approved for First Fridays, downtown events and the Optimist Car Show.
- The board approved an agreement for the annual community crossings grant.
- A pay application was approved to Wessler Engineering for the sewer rehabilitation project. That project will begin in March or April.
- The Parks Department was approved to apply for the annual Indiana Arts Commission grant of $5,000.
- A Husky Trail pay application was approved for ongoing construction inspects.
- An amendment was made to the Market Street contract with INDOT. Due to a house foreclosure, the city has not been able to obtain a temporary right-of-way. This will delay the project, which is now expected to go to bid in June.