It was a busy meeting for Warsaw Public Board of Works & Safety Friday morning, July 17. A grant from the Indiana Arts Commission was accepted, a bid was awarded for the Mariner’s Drive rehabilitation, bids were opened for a new garbage truck and a last minute, immediate resignation of a town employee were among the meeting’s main topics.

Elizabeth McKinley, recreation director for the parks department, requested the board accept the Indiana Arts Commission grant, for the 2015-2016 grant cycle, of $4,334. This amount is a $920 increase from the previous grant cycle. Funds will be used to support the Central Park Concert Series, with matching funds in the department’s budget.

Tabled from earlier in the month, Phend and Brown, Inc., Milford, was awarded the contract for the Mariner Drive Rehabilitation Project. The Milford company was the lowest of two bids on the project, with $549,970. Niblock, the second bidder, submitted a bid of $551,986. The engineer’s estimate on the project was $695,904.71.

Bids were tabled from three companies on a new garbage truck. Bids were opened from Link Environmental Equipment, Winamac; Pyramid Equipment Inc., Rolling Prairie; and Best Equipment, Indianapolis. Link bid $264,484 including a $3,500 trade-in. Pyramid bid $249,125 including a $2,500 trade-in and Best submitted a bid for $252,789 with a $15,000 trade-in.

The surprise of the morning was a letter of resignation, submitted just prior to the meeting, by building commissioner Todd Slabaugh. Slabaugh stated he would be resigning his position effective at the end of his regular shift today, Friday, July 17. Jeremy Skinner, city planner, stated it was unexpected and the reasoning behind the resignation is unknown.

During other business:

• Approved the closing of Buffalo Street from Market to the alley from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 10, for a Kosciusko Community Foundation Block Party.
• Approved contracts for the return of Darlene McCartney, a caricature artist, and Creative Comedy Balloon & Face Art for the Family Carnival Aug. 7.
• Approved the first payment from the lease rental revenue bonds, totaling $88,498.99. The payments will be made to Faegre Baker Daniels LLP and H.J. Umbaugh & Associates for services in the bond issuance.
• Approved payment to AZ Engineering LLC for engineering services on the Husky Trail project, totaling $5,424.60 and for $14,600 for right-of-way acquisition services. It was noted the city will begin acquiring various parcels in the next few months.
• Mayor Joe Thallemer received approval to purchase an advertisement in the Kosciusko County CVB 2016 Visitor’s Guide, totaling $561
• Paulette Davis was approved as the new public arts coordinator, at a payment of $555.55 per month. One-half of her pay was made possible through a donation from the Kosciusko Community Foundation. Davis will coordinate all public arts events with the primary responsibility is coordinating the Waln-n-Wander Seward Johnson sculpture event downtown Warsaw in 2016.
• Approved a service agreement with Confidential Shredding Services for a $30 per month receptacle rate.
• Approved contracts with StructurePointe Inc., on a Detroit to Osborne Storm Sewer Engineering Feasibility Study, a cost of $35,500, and with Wessler Engineering Inc., for Main Street Sanitary Sewer Improvements, a cost of $86,000. The two agencies will prepare documents for potential improvements and/or relocation of storm sewer lines and sanitary sewers when respective projects are done on those areas.
• Approved payment of $23,014.72 for equipment and installation of Panasonic IP telephone system at the police department by Rick’s Electronics.