By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

WARSAW— A Downtown Warsaw Drive-thru Spooktacular event is scheduled to be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. 

The road closure request for the event, submitted by First Friday Coordinator Paula Bowman, was approved at the City of Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety meeting Friday, Oct. 2.

Bowman said the event will begin at the old Owen’s parking lot and come down Center Street. The first location where candy will be given out will be at the Warsaw City Hall driveway.

Tables will then be strategically placed about a car length apart going all the way down to Center Lake on Buffalo Street. The route will end at the Jail Museum where there will be “a spooky display.”

Bowman said those who are passing out candy will need to wear gloves and masks so that there will be no contact. 

Police and fire personnel will assist with traffic control.

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer asked that everyone follow recommended safe Halloween practices and suggested that the person in each vehicle who is accepting the candy should be wearing a mask. Not a Halloween mask, Mayor Thallemer specified, but a face/surgical mask. 

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels

“I’m very happy that we’re able to do this. I just want to be safe about it,” Mayor Thallemer said.

The board also approved a road closure request for the Babes & Bubbles Brunch event. 

One Ten Craft Meatery Owner Jason Brown said for the last five years, One Ten has partnered with Glam Boutique to host Glam’s anniversary event.

“This year obviously we’re dealing with a little different world,” Brown said. “Usually it is indoors. Our idea this year was to do a brunch, street side, out on Buffalo Street.”

The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 10, Brown said. He requested that Buffalo Street be shut down between Center and Main streets from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

“It’s essentially a 50-person, socially-distanced brunch event,” Brown told board members. 

When asked how the brunch will be handled in the event of bad weather, Brown said, “We’ll have to back away from it, which will be unfortunate but we really can’t have a plan B to slide everybody indoors and still be socially responsible. We’ll have to refund and say we’re sorry.” 

The board reviewed a request by Rebecca Jenkins, utility payment supervisor for the City of Warsaw Wastewater payment office. 

 Jenkins submitted a letter requesting that the dates on the summer credit ordinance be changed. The letter reads:

“Each year we get several complaints because citizens are still watering flowers, trees, plants, etc. at the end of September, early October. Since the summer credit is not retroactive, they either have to pay more on their bill or not water during that time.

Currently the bill dates for the summer credit are April-October, which cover service dates of approximately Feb. 15 through approximately Sept. 15. We have very few, if any, citizens who water lawns/fill pools during the late part of February/early March so it would benefit many more to have the end of September/early October be covered instead. I am asking for the billing dates to be changed to May-November, which would cover the approximate service dates of March 15 through Oct. 15.

I would also like to ask for the winter average billing dates to be changed. Currently, we use the billing dates of November, December and January, which cover service dates of approximately Sept. 15 through Dec. 15, I would like to use billing dates of January, February and March which are for service dates of approximately Nov. 15 – Feb. 15.”

“What this does, since our wastewater usage is based on the water bill, they’re taking that summertime water usage knowing that it’s not going into the sewer and making an adjustment,” Mayor Thallemer explained. “So that people aren’t dinged on their sewage bill for maybe a higher amount of water they’re using during those times. So it’s for the sewage bill, but it affects the water usage.”

This change would require amending WWPO Summer Credit Date Change Request Ordinance 2018-04-01, Clerk-Treasurer Lynne Christiansen stated.

Board members approved moving forward with that process.

In other news: 

• A contract was signed with Cardno, Inc., in the amount of $8,500, for a feasibility study of the Springhill Road ravine and wetland area. Stormwater runs off into the ravine and there are concerns for erosion in that ravine. This contract allows for Cardno to evaluate the area and review options on how drainage can be improved in that area. 
• A contract with BIT Computers in the amount of $18,323.27 was approved. This is for upgrades to the audio/visual system in council chambers for video conferences. CARES Act funding will be utilized.
• The City of Warsaw received a letter offering to donate a land parcel in the north portion of lot 24 in Thralls Addition. The Board approved moving forward with the offer. 
• The next regular meeting will be 11:15 a.m. Oct. 16.