From left are Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety Members Jeff Grose and George Clemens. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Representatives from Live Well Kosciusko and Kosciusko Leadership Academy discussed a discount initiative for local first responders during a Dec. 2 Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety meeting.

The initiative is part of a larger campaign called K-County First, part of Live Well Kosciusko. It was created in partnership with KLA and the Live Well Community Well-Being Committee to support and show appreciation for Kosciusko County’s first responders. The discount program offers all first responders in the county the chance to receive a discount card, redeemable at participating organizations..

Local businesses currently a part of the K-County First initiative include Anderson’s Florist, Ledgeview Brewing Company, Creighton’s Crazy Egg Café, Light Rail Café, Rocket Fizz, and Tippy Creek Winery.

In addition to the discount program, local students created art projects to show their appreciation for first responders. The artwork is being displayed on area billboards and the K-County First webpage.

Live Well Kosciusko President Lisa Harman; Lois Borkholder, KLA; and Jessica Camarena, Live Well Kosciusko, attended the meeting to discuss the initiative.

Those interested in the initiative can visit livewellkosciusko.org/kcounty-first or join the discount program e-mail list.

In other business, the board gave the city’s street department approval to purchase a used 2015 Freightliner dump truck with a live conveyor, plow and salt spreader from Brown Equipment. The truck has about 19,000 miles on it, with the city able to purchase it for $140,000 when the typical purchase price for a similar truck is about $305,000.

The board also gave the department permission to purchase a salt barn from Greystone Construction in the amount of $249,655.

Several nonprofit contracts for 2023 were also approved by the board. The contracts and their amounts are as follows:

• Baker Youth Club – $10,000
• Beaman Home – $9,345
• Cardinal Services – $20,000
• City-County Athletic Complex – $21,000
• Joe’s Kids – $4,680
• Kosciusko County Historical Society – $3,000
• Kosciusko County Senior Services – $21,000
• Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams – $20,000
• Kosciusko Home Care & Hospice – $5,250
• Live Well Kosciusko – $5,000
• Warsaw Little League – $5,000

Board members also approved annual contracts with Hearing Officer Thomas Earhart for Warsaw Code Enforcement and City Attorney Scott Reust.

The board also reminded the public about CR 350N, between the railroad tracks and CR 100E, closing on Monday, Dec. 5. The road will remain closed for about two weeks.

The next Board of Works meeting is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Warsaw City Hall.