ARPA Committee OKs $200K For Cardinal Services Project
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Cardinal Services has passed the first step in getting $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to help with a revamp of its campus.
At a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14, the Kosciusko County ARPA Committee approved giving the funds to Cardinal. The vote was 2-0, with Committee Members Ernie Wiggins and Sue Ann Mitchell voting in favor. ARPA Committee President Cary Groninger abstained, as he has a connection to the project.
As with any of the projects approved at Wednesday’s meeting, Cardinal Services’ request must also be approved by the Kosciusko County Commissioners and Council.
Cardinal Services Executive Director Vickie Lootens presented the $200,000 request before the committee.
“Currently we have raised $6.8 million of the $7.5 million campaign. We do have a $500,000 contingency and I have a feeling our $7.5 million campaign will go up to an $8 million because of costs, delays of supplies, all of those reasons that I think that so many people are dealing with,” she said.
The renovation project includes adding on 3,000 square feet to Cardinal’s campus at 504 N. Bay Drive, Warsaw, said Lootens, adding that 2,000 square feet the campus already has is being “repurposed.”
“What we are trying to create is a community center, and with (our) RedBird Art Studio being our inspiration as well as in the workforce opportunities, so that addition of an opportunity lab will be for certifications and trainings for real jobs in our community (for those with special needs),” she said.
Groninger asked for more details.
“We have lots of service offerings with employment being our flagship because that’s the No. 1 thing to gain that independence and self-sufficiency and purpose,” Lootens said. “We are adding club rooms, so (a) tech lab, culinary arts, fitness and wellness, garden club, literacy, it goes on and on and on and with RedBird being our inspiration and what we have found is that community members come in and now they’re no longer looking at the individuals we serve as (having) a disability, they’re looking at them with a commonality (such as) we’re both artists.”
Lootens noted that Jason Brown from One Ten Craft Meatery has come to cook with Cardinal’s clients before.
“So it’s two-fold – actually more than two-fold – but it could potentially be an employment opportunity as well as learning daily living skills being able to live more independently and then also for fun, interests, hobbies,” she said. “We are partnering with Ivy Tech to help with some of those certifications.”
“We are anticipating a ribbon-cutting (for this project) in summer 2024,” she added.
In other business, the committee:
- Tabled a $1.1 million request regarding workforce housing as Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. CEO Alan Tio will provide the committee with more information before it takes a vote on it.
- Approved a $20,547.40 request brought by Kosciusko County Coroner Tony Ciriello to purchase a lift to help move bodies at the coroner’s building as well as an adjustable autopsy table and a few morgue tables.
- Approved a $48,250.41 request from Kosciusko County 911 Director Sarah Lancaster for computer hardware.
- Approved $22,444.66 for the Kosciusko County Historical Society to repair a leak at the society’s Old Jail Museum and replace several HVAC units there. Greg Steffe presented the request before the committee.
- Approved $100,000 for Combined Community Services. CCS’ Tim Frame presented before the committee. CCS made a request for HVAC replacement and a box truck to transport donations.
If all the above expenditures are ultimately approved by the commissioners and council, the county will have $5,960,758.06 of its ARPA money left to spend out of the $15,433,397 it had received.
The ARPA committee’s next meeting is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom.