Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker on the left, are shown with new WPD Officer Samuel Weaver and his family, wife Tarah Weaver, holding daughter Rowen. Daughter Kinley is shown standing in front.

WARSAW — One of the favorite tasks Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer enjoys, is the swearing in of a new officer. He was given that privilege Friday morning, Aug. 7, at the Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety.

Samuel Weaver was sworn in as the newest officer of the Warsaw Police Department. Thallemer expressed the appreciation of the officer’s commitment and dedication to the job.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer gives the oath of office to Warsaw Police Officer Samuel Weaver

The swearing ceremony took place at the start of the morning’s meeting.

The busy morning’s agenda (Related: City Going Paperless, Getting A Mobile App) included the awarding of bids for the Central Park Storm Sewer Cleaning. While bids were solicited from three companies, only Selge Construction, Niles, Mich., submitted a bid. The base bid was $20,000, with $4,050 for mobilization and demobilization, $3,800 for an inflatable plug, and the cost to clean and video the line at $19 a square foot was $5,700. To install a manhole isl $6,450.

The bid was taken under advisement until the end of the meeting, giving the city engineer, James Emans and Brian Davison, utility manager, an opportunity to review the bid. Emans noted the cleaning is needed for that line, which is a 36-inch line, before American Structurepoint Inc.’s evaluation of the line can continue. “We hope to improve the drainage in the park area,” Emans said.

He stated it is believed the storm sewer line in the 500 block of Lake Street is a near total block. The shallow line has multiple trees growing over it. It is believed the line is filled with tree roots. The hope is the cleaning will find the problem and clearing of the line can easily take place. If not there will need to be follow up work.

A legal matter was also discussed. City attorney Mike Valentine was given the authority to act on behalf of the city in a mediation between the city and Dore Company who demolished the old sewer plant. The company filed suit against the city for funds still owed, however the city has filed a counterclaim of $28,000 for damages and tardiness. The city has also learned subcontractors had not been paid. The matter will go to mediation on Aug. 26.

During other business:

• An agreement was signed with Weaver Consultants Group, Granger, for the removal of underground storage tanks and soil assessment at the police department. The estimated cost is $27,937. The expenditure will be split between the stormwater utility and police budgets. Soil samplings will be taken in locations where NIPSCO had stored transformers to make sure there is no soil contamination.
• Gave official approval for the purchase of two new Caprice Police Patrol Vehicles at a total cost of $55,718. These vehicles will be purchased from Lakeside Chevrolet. WPD received $25,575 from Governmental Interinsurance Exchange for the damages to the vehicles. The remainder of the funds will be made from the 2014 general bond.
• Approved Center for Lakes & Streams to conduct water testing at Kelly Park, at a cost of $1,075. The center will do testing for nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen, water temp, conductivity, suspended sediments measurements, which cannot be done in-house. “We are lucky to have them in the community,” said Davison.
• Approved an agreement with Boyce/Keystone/Komputrol for the annual key-billing software, maintenance and updates. A cost of $2,275.
• Approved an agreement with Linko Technology Inc., for the annual pretreatment software maintenance at $1,535.
• Accepted an agreement with A.E. Boyce Company, Inc.,/Keystone for the annual software license, a cost of $3,195.
• Approved an agreement with American Structurepoint, Inc., for the Buffalo Street Reconstruction Project, engineering services at a cost not to exceed $180,800.
• Approval given to amend the contract with A&Z Engineering for an additional $9,000 due to unforeseen engineering work on the Market Street Construction project.